


Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 2: Aftermath

by Jairus



Series: Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 111,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27159242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jairus/pseuds/Jairus
Summary: Sector 7 is gone, destroyed in Shinra's terrible act of retaliation. Cloud and the others, having barely escaped, struggle to come to grips with the loss of their home and so many lives. With one friend missing and another held prisoner, Cloud vows to save them both, unaware of the fateful path it will set him on. The story continues in this second exciting installment of the Lifestream series!
Relationships: Jessie & Cloud Strife, Jessie Rasberry/Cloud Strife, Jessie/Cloud Strife
Series: Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982422
Comments: 92
Kudos: 39





	1. INTERLUDE

## 

[Full size front cover](https://i.imgur.com/BZjj6pi.png) [Full size back cover](https://i.imgur.com/voES6Zm.png)

## INTERLUDE

_After my friends and I had finished telling the first part of our story, recording it as the elders wrote it down, we took a break for a little while, scattering to different parts of the canyon village. Talking about all these things, the pain and loss we endured and the struggles we faced together, wasn't easy. It brought back memories, a lot of them, both good and bad. But I suppose that's the nature of this sort of thing._

_The day the Sector 7 plate fell was the day Midgar stood still. No one who lived through it will ever forget it. So many people lost so much that day—friends, family, homes. The evacuations saved a lot of lives, but not all of them. There was just no way. Thousands of people still died. Shinra had enacted a terrible revenge for the attacks we had carried out against their mako reactors, and while they made those incidents worse to set us up and turn people against us, we had still made the choice to act, falling right into the trap they'd set for us._

_What happened that day, and the events leading up to it, formed the foundation of the long journey we'd soon begin. It's not easy, knowing the part we played in causing all that pain and death. We weren't responsible for the plate collapse—Shinra did that and tried to frame us for it—but it was our actions that were the excuse they used to carry it out. It's a hard thing to live with, knowing what we did, but I think facing it and talking about it is the only way to really deal with it._

_The people we call heroes are supposed to look out for everyone else, but who's there for them when they're the ones in need? My friends and I, all we had was each other, and that's still true even today. We've become an odd sort of family, but a family nevertheless. Over the past few years, we had slowly drifted apart, each of us wrapped up in our own lives, the days of our journey together gradually falling farther and farther behind us. It would have been easy to forget._

_But I didn't want to. I couldn't afford to. If you forget the past, you'll just make the same mistakes over again, and I didn't want that. So I was glad when Nanaki called me last month and told me of his idea, his plan for us all to come back together again and lay down our story. He pitched it to us as a history project, to preserve the truth of our journey for those who'd come after us, and that's certainly a part of it._

_But I've come to believe this project is also for us, to help us confront the dark things that had happened, that we played a part in so long ago, and to finally put them to rest. To stare unflinching at the uglier parts of ourselves and find a way to cleanse our hearts and minds of the lingering pain left by all that we'd been through and the losses we had suffered. To forgive ourselves for what we were and what we had done, and to renew our bonds with each other._

_I know she would want that._

_When we stopped for a while after finishing our story of the Sector 7 plate collapse and everything that had led to it, I wandered up to the top of the settlement, out in front of the observatory. From there, I could look out and see the entire canyon for miles, the desert wind warm and dry as it whispered past me. It's a peaceful place, and you should come see it for yourself sometime if you ever get the chance._

_As I stood there, I let thoughts and memories of Midgar and all that happened there fill my mind. Meeting Jessie for the first time, our battles with the Vice gang, the reactor bombings, the friends I had made—Biggs, Wedge, Lena, and Barret. Tifa's bar, the original Seventh Heaven. Aerith, selling me the flower I later gave to Jessie. Our desperate battle to protect the pillar and save so many lives._

_We failed. And in the aftermath of the disaster, we found a focus for our pain and anger, something to keep us moving forward. A rescue. Two of them, actually. The Turks had captured Aerith during the fight to save the pillar, and she was being held in the heart of the Shinra Building. But first, there was someone else we had to save. When we'd still been on the platform, Jessie had been torn away from me, falling into the flames and ruin of the Sector 7 slums when the plate had started to come down. And I had to go back for her. I had to find her._

_I had refused to accept that she was dead despite having to leave her at the center of the plate collapse. We had defied fate together, she and I, cheating the death she'd been destined for in the pillar. And I wasn't going to allow fate to claw her back from me. But what my friends and I didn't know at first was that each rescue would become dependent on the other. To save one, we would have to save the other as well. And both would set us on the path to our long journey._

_As I'm sure you've noticed by now, it's not just myself and those who went with me on the journey who've been telling this story. We've invited a few others as well, some of whom you haven't heard from yet. Although their role wasn't as expansive as ours, they still played an important part in what happened, so my friends and I agreed that their voices should be heard as well. They're our friends, too._

_We still have a long way to go to tell the rest of our story, and even as I record this, I'm making my way back down to the Cosmo Candle to get started on the next part. But we had all agreed that before we moved on, we should pause first to reflect on what we had told of our tale so far. It's not been easy, but I believe it's worthwhile, both for you and for us. And I hope you'll feel the same way by the time this is over._

— Cloud Strife


	2. ONE

## ONE

When I woke up, it was over.

I slowly blinked my eyes open and looked around. We were laying in Evergreen Park, or what was left of it. Rubble was everywhere, along with a few small fires. Nearby were the broken remnants of the zip line we'd used to escape from Sector 7. And at that thought, I sat up, all of it coming back to me in a rush.

The plate collapse, fire and thunder everywhere. The city above us, falling apart piece by piece as it crushed the slums beneath it. And lost in middle of all that was Jessie. Terribly hurt when the console's power surge had caused it to explode after flooding her body with electricity. She'd been thrown across the platform and into the railing, dropping to the floor in a wounded, smoking heap.

And then she'd been torn from me, ripped away in the chaos of the plate collapse. A massive chunk of debris, shearing through the edge of the platform and taking Jessie down with it to the base of the pillar and into the middle of the inferno. She was gone. But in spite of all that had happened to her, I knew in my heart that she was still alive. She had to be. And I was going to go back to what was left of Sector 7. I was going to find her, no matter what it took.

Aerith had also been taken away from us. By Shinra. I didn't know how they'd managed to do it, but they had. She and I had dealt with the Turks a few times since we'd met, but I still didn't fully understand why they were after her. Something about her being an Ancient, but… what did that mean? I didn't know. But I was going to find out. She was sure to be at the Shinra Building now. And I'd have to find a way in there to save her. I was her bodyguard, after all.

I hoped the others had gotten out, too—Biggs, Wedge, and Lena. I didn't want to lose any of them. Two months ago, I hadn't known them or cared much about them. But that had changed with time and all the experiences we'd shared together. Fighting side by side, completing the missions to the reactors and the 7-6 Annex warehouse, playing cards at night, having dinner together at _Seventh Heaven._ They were my friends now, more important to me than I'd ever thought possible, even if I still didn't really know how to show it.

I looked over to see Tifa and Barret stirring as well. They had a few minor scrapes and scratches like I did, but nothing serious. The deeper wounds were inside, I knew. The kind no spell or potion could heal. As Tifa sat up, she looked down, as if she didn't want to see the cold reality of what had just happened. The gate, or what was left of it, was nearby, and piled just behind it was a mountain of debris at least fifty feet high. Barret raced over to it, his eyes wide.

" _Marlene!"_ he yelled. He kept at it while Tifa and I slowly stood up and joined him. "Marlene! Jessie! Biggs! Wedge!"

Tifa touched his arm. "Barret…"

He pulled away from her and started grabbing at the debris, calling the names of his daughter and friends over and over again. He yanked out chunk after chunk of broken concrete and metal, throwing them to the ground, but there was no way he'd get through. Some of the rubble was the size of boulders. But he tried anyway.

" _Marlene!"_ he screamed. "You out there!? Anybody? Jessie! Talk to me! Say somethin'! Biggs! Wedge!"

"Barret, hold up for a—" I started.

He wasn't listening. _"Marlene!_ _Marlene!"_

And then, his tear-streaked face a mask of rage and grief, he began shooting at the huge pile of rubble with his gun-arm as if he could just blow it apart and find everyone on the other side. But all he was able to do was send shower of rock and dust everywhere. His voice became an almost inhuman roar as he kept firing.

As much as I wished he really could have cleared us a path through the rubble, I knew there was just too much of it here for him to do that. But there had to be another way back into Sector 7. Something nagged at me then, poking at the back of my mind. Something I felt I should've remembered. But I couldn't, so I just left it alone for the moment. I felt for Barret, but we had to get him calmed down before we could decide where to go and what was next. He stopped, leaned back with his arms out to either side, and screamed again.

" _MARLENE!"_

Tifa tried again. "Barret, listen…"

He sighed, still crying. "Goddammit! Goddamn you all! Damn you all to hell, ya Shinra assholes! Marlene… my sweet Marlene… Jessie… I… I had so much to tell ya… Biggs, Wedge… you guys… y'all can't be gone… ya jus' can't… Goddamn…"

"Marlene's fine," Tifa gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Aerith got her out, I'm sure of it."

His eyes lit up. "What!? Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I asked her to find Marlene and take her out of Sector 7 to someplace safe. And Biggs and Wedge should be fine, too. I helped Biggs out of the pillar, and Wedge was in pretty good shape. He and Lena were seeing to the evacuation, so I'm sure they're alright. But Jessie… you saw what happened to her…"

"Yeah, I did," Barret's hand tightened into a fist. "You think… she's still alive, Tifa? After… after all that? I never got to tell her I was sorry. You know, for what I put her through lately 'bout her past. All she ever did was give, Tifa, an' I treated her like shit 'cause I was mad she didn't tell me she'd been with Shinra."

"Barret, I think…" Tifa murmured.

He went on. "A leader's s'posed to look out for the ones he's leadin' an' take care of 'em. But I… I didn't do that for her. Shoulda listened to her insteada rippin' her up. An' now… now she might be dead 'cause of me. An' if she is… it's my fault."

Tifa stared at him. "How can you say that?"

"She was worried 'bout goin' into the pillar," he said. "I didn't know why at the time, but maybe she had an idea of what was gonna happen to her. I coulda let her go back to the bar an' stay with Marlene to keep her safe an' get her out if she needed to—wouldn'ta been nothin' wrong with that—but I made her enter that damn tower."

"You can't blame yourself for that. Jessie knew what she was doing, Barret. She knew the risks."

He gazed at the mountain of rubble blocking the gate. "But I made her feel like she had to prove herself to me, prove her loyalty. An' that's not what a leader's s'posedta do. I shoulda trusted her, Tifa. Shoulda let her know I was still there for her. But I didn't. An' now… I might never have the chance to do that an' 'pologize to her."

"You will," I told him.

Barret glanced at me. "You think she's alive?"

I nodded. "She is. And I'm goin' back for her, soon as I can. To find her. She's out there, Barret. I know she is."

"I'm going, too," Tifa added.

"Yeah," Barret agreed. "We gonna find her. But first, Cloud, can ya take me to see Marlene? I ain't gonna be no good to ya 'till I can see for myself that she's okay. Please?"

I'd figured as much. "Yeah. I know where to go."

He sighed in relief. "Thanks, man. So… Aerith? That's the girl they took, right? In the pink dress?"

"That's her," Tifa said. "She's a friend."

"We're getting her back," I added. "After we find Jessie."

Barret pumped his fist. "If she saved Marlene, then I owe her a lot. I'm in, Cloud. All the way."

I looked at Tifa. "And you? Tifa?"

She didn't answer at first, her eyes fixed on the smoldering ruins of Sector 7. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides as she gazed at the rubble, but her face was haunted. I thought I knew why. Guilt bit at me, too. Had we brought this about by going after the reactors? Even if we hadn't caused it directly, we were still part of the reason it was done. The enemy Shinra had sought to crush.

"Did we… do this?" Tifa wondered softly. "Was it us?"

"I don't know…" I shook my head.

Barret swept his arm out, his eyes burning into us. "No! Shinra did it. Whatever came before, _they_ pulled the trigger today. They destroyed a whole town an' killed thousandsa people jus' to make some damn gil an' get everyone up there pumped for another war. Power's all they care 'bout, guys. They're killin' the planet for it, an' there ain't no one gonna be safe 'till they're gone. Am I right?"

Tifa nodded. "Yeah…"

"Hold onto this anger, Tifa," he said, lifting his fist and squeezing it tight. "An' don't you forget it. Use it."

"Right," she answered, clasping his hand.

He glanced over at me. "An' what about you, merc?"

I folded my arms in front of me. "Yeah."

Then I walked away, heading across the ruined park to the narrow trail that led away from it toward the collapsed expressway. It was time to get moving, to act. We'd stood around talking for long enough. Jessie and Aerith needed our help, and we needed a purpose after all that had happened, something to focus our anger and energy on. Saving both of our friends would give us that.

"Hey!" Barret called after me. "Where you goin'?"

"You wanted to see Marlene, right?" I said.

He hurried to catch up. "Yeah! Marlene! Where is she?"

I kept walking. "Aerith's house. Should be."

"You sure she's there?" Barret asked, falling in next to me. "Gimme somethin' to hold onto. Please!"

"Pretty sure. No guarantees, but it's a good bet."

He sighed. "S'pose that's fair 'nough."

As we kept going, I thought of something else. "Either of you know anything about the Ancients?"

"I've heard of them," Tifa said. "But that's all."

Barret rubbed his chin. "Stewards of the planet. 'Least they used to be, before they all died out. They could even talk with it an' stuff. They come up in planetology books sometimes."

I thought I understood. "Aerith's one of them. Probably the last. So that'd be why the Turks wanted her so badly."

"But what for?" Tifa wondered.

"Probably to take more from the planet," Barret muttered. "Use her to leech out every last bit of its life."

I narrowed my eyes. "Not happening."

Just then, I stumbled as a bolt of pain shot through my head. It felt as if I'd been hit with a hammer across my temple, and I grabbed it and gasped in pain. What were these attacks, and why did I keep on getting them? I didn't know. As I stood there, I heard a cold, familiar voice rise up in my mind. Sephiroth's voice.

— _The blood of the Ancients flows in my veins, and_ _I am the rightful heir to this planet. It belongs to me.—_

That was a memory, something I'd heard him say long ago. Back in Nibelheim, when he'd gone mad. But that had been five years ago. Why was it coming up now? I'd seen him in my dreams a few times over the past two months, tormenting me with visions of Jessie's death as well as my mom's. The future and the past. But I had changed that future, had proven him wrong and saved Jessie.

— _Did you? Or did you merely delay the inevitable? —_

His voice taunted me again, and I couldn't close my mind to block him out. I could barely even move, bent over as I was and holding onto my head with one unsteady hand. As Sephiroth's words filled my mind, my eyes widened and rage filled my gut when I saw him stride casually onto the trail from out of nowhere, flickering in and out as he moved. I shook my head in disbelief.

"You're not real…" I breathed.

He smiled coldly. "Are dreams real, Cloud? Again, you have failed. But through suffering, you'll grow stronger. Just as I need you to be. As you were meant to be. It is what you desire."

Then a hand took my shoulder. It was Tifa. "Cloud?"

"Huh?" I looked at her.

"You okay?" she wondered.

The pain was gone, and when I glanced back at the road, Sephiroth was, too. "Yeah. Did you see anything?"

She shook her head. "No, I didn't. Barret?"

"Not a thing," he shrugged.

I wasn't surprised. "Let's just keep going. Still a ways to go."

Barret grunted. "Pull it together, merc."

As we went along, we found we weren't alone out here. There were other people on the road as well, survivors of the plate collapse. Sitting or standing along the trail in small groups, their voices a low murmur. Some were hurt, some not, but all of them were either scared, stunned, or both. Tifa and Barret offered a few words of encouragement to those they knew as we kept going.

After a few minutes, we came to a small clearing, and the entrance to the collapsed expressway was just a short distance past it. A lot more people were gathered here, resting after escaping the death of Sector 7. Coughs, crying, and groans filled the air.

Suddenly, we heard a familiar voice. "Boss! Cloud! Tifa!"

We all turned around, and a wave of relief swept through me when I saw who was hurrying toward us, his red bandanna still tight over his dark hair and a calico cat in one arm. Wedge! And Lena was there with him, carrying the other two cats, her face practically glowing when she saw us. Tears glistened in both their eyes.

"Wedge!" Barret exclaimed, his face lighting up. "You magnificent son of a bitch! Damn, am I glad to see ya!"

Tifa threw her arms around Lena. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"You too, Tifa," she sniffled.

"Good to see you too, guys!" Wedge smiled.

I nodded to him and Lena. "Likewise. Been here long?"

He shrugged. "Just a little while. We were one of the last to get out. Barely made it, too. Would've escaped sooner, but I, uh… had to go get something I'd forgotten…"

"You went back for your cats?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah," he chuckled, grinning sheepishly. "Had to go and save my babies, you know…"

Tifa hugged him. "Don't ever change, Wedge…"

Barret laughed and wrapped his good arm around him. "Well, ain't that somethin'! You got a good heart, man."

"The best," Lena winked.

He glanced at her. "So where's Biggs?"

"We sent him on ahead to Sector 5 before we left," Lena explained. "He should be at the Leaf House by now."

"Can we go see him?" Tifa looked hopefully at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, let's. It's on the way to Aerith's house. We'll stop in there for a minute or two."

"Thank you, Cloud," she beamed.

"Looks like you two got a lotta folks out," Barret said.

Wedge glanced at the people around us. "Yeah. I just wish I'd been able to save more of 'em."

Barret laid a hand on his shoulder. "You did fine, Wedge. Both you and Lena. I'm damn prouda you guys. These people wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. Always remember that."

"Yeah…" Wedge stood a little taller. "Thanks, boss."

"Told ya!" Lena teased him.

Tifa chuckled. "You _are_ coming with us to see Biggs, right?"

Wedge gave her a thumbs up. "Of course!"

"We sure are!" Lena added. "We were gonna visit him anyway after we'd rested up for a bit. I just know that he'd—wait a minute, isn't Jessie with you guys? Where is she?"

She and Wedge both looked around in confusion, realizing for the first time that Jessie wasn't there. The smiles on Tifa's and Barret's faces evaporated along with our spirits as we thought of what had happened to her. And at first, none of us could say it.

"Guys…" Wedge asked cautiously. "Where's Jessie?"

"She…" Tifa began. She couldn't finish.

Lena gasped, choking back a sob as her eyes filled with fresh tears. "No! She… she didn't make it… she's… she's…"

Wedge's face fell. "Jessie…"

"She's not dead," I insisted. "She's just… missing."

Barret looked at them. "Cloud's right. Jessie's out there somewhere, hurt an' in pain. She fell from the pillar, was taken from us when it was all comin' down. But we gonna find her. She needs us right now, needs her family. An' we gonna be there for her."

Tifa nodded. "We will."

"You bet!" Wedge added. "We've gotta help her!"

"Count on it!" Lena agreed.

I looked at everyone. "We'll find her."

"Damn right we will," Barret said. "First though, we gotta check in on Biggs an' Marlene. Then we'll go."

"Aerith got Marlene out," Wedge assured him.

His eyes lit up. "So Cloud an' Tifa told me. You saw 'em?"

Lena looked worried. "Yeah, they rode out together, helped us with the evacuation. They headed for Sector 5, but… one of those choppers went after them. I hope they're okay."

"Shinra's got Aerith now," I said. "But not Marlene."

"We're gonna save her, right?" Lena asked.

Barret pumped his fist. "We are. But I still gotta see Marlene first. I need to know what happened. An' we still got Jessie to take care of, too. So let's take things one step at a time."

"I think I know how to find her," I said.

Tifa blinked. "You do?"

It had been right there the whole time, but I'd forgotten about it in the midst of everything else that had happened. "Yeah. There's a tunnel that leads from the park to Sector 7. Aerith told me about it just before we followed you to Wall Market."

"That's how we got out," Wedge said. "We figured it'd be better not to have everyone so close to the gate—it's not a pretty sight, you know. So we had everyone come over here for now. Wymer's been overseeing things since then. He had the same idea."

"Good thinkin', guys," Barret told them. "We got us the beginnin' of a plan. Better get movin', though."

As we started heading toward the collapsed expressway and Sector 5, I realized Wedge was limping. I hadn't noticed earlier because I'd just been so glad to see him and know that he and Lena were alright. When he stumbled a little, I caught his arm and helped him up, motioning for the others to stop for a moment.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Just fell and twisted my ankle a little on the way out," Wedge said, rubbing his leg. "It's better than it was, but…"

I touched his shoulder. "We'll handle it. Tifa?"

She understood. "Right."

Giving Wedge an encouraging smile, she dropped to one knee and focused on the Restore materia in her mythril bangle while I held him steady on his feet. The green sparkles swirled around him for a minute before fading away as he slowly relaxed.

"How's that, Wedge?" Tifa glanced up at him.

"Still a little tender, but it feels good, Tifa," he gave her a thumbs up and grinned as I let go. "Thanks!"

I nodded. "Sure, Wedge. Glad you're alright."

"Aw, thanks, bro!" he gushed.

"It's a little weird when you call me that," I said.

Or tried to say, anyway. Just as I finished, the cat in his arms let out a loud meow, and I backed up a step. Tifa and Lena giggled together as I let out a resigned sigh. Barret snickered, but fortunately he didn't say anything as we all got underway again.

Lena glanced at us. "You guys haven't seen a SOLDIER in a purple uniform, have you? Maybe riding on a motorcycle? Green and silver? I think it was a Motonox Gust."

"No, we haven't," Tifa said. "Why?"

"He's a friend. He helped Aerith get to Marlene, and he also fought alongside us against that Turk, Rude. Then he came back after that and saved Wedge's life. I hope he got out."

I didn't doubt it. "He did. He was a SOLDIER."

She sighed in relief. "Thanks, Cloud. His name's Kunsel. That ring a bell? You were a SOLDIER, too, right?"

"I was," I said. "But…"

"What is it?" Tifa wondered.

The name did sound vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. Like a faint memory from a long time ago. I didn't know who it was, though I felt like I should've. But he had helped us, saving my friends and taking Rude down a peg—now I knew why he'd been so beat up when he had joined Reno on the platform. A SOLDIER could certainly do that. And Wedge and Lena had helped.

I shook my head. "It's nothing. Don't know him, Lena. Sounds like Second Class from the uniform, though. Pretty tough. And I saw what you guys did to Rude back there. Good job."

Lena beamed. "Nailed his ass!"

"She and Kunsel did most of it," Wedge blushed. "I wasn't really all that much help. Just got knocked down."

"That's not true. You burned him good!" she insisted.

I knew from what I'd seen of Rude that Lena was right. "You stood against a Turk, Wedge. Be proud."

"Yeah…" he grinned. "Guess I did, didn't I?"

"Damn straight!" Barret agreed.

Tifa smirked at me. "You're being awfully nice, Cloud."

"Huh?" I blinked. "I, uh… we'd better hurry. I'm sure Biggs'll want to see us. And Marlene."

She chuckled. "Sure. Whatever you say."

We went on, leaving the clearing behind as we made our way down the short trail leading to the collapsed expressway. Although Jessie was still missing and Aerith was being held prisoner in the Shinra Building, it did help to know that the rest of our friends were alright. Tifa hadn't looked quite so down since we'd found Wedge and Lena. As for Barret, I knew he wouldn't truly be himself again until he'd seen Marlene. And I understood it perfectly. I felt the same way about Jessie. Nothing was gonna be right in me until I saw her again.

And I knew that I would.

* * *

Slowly, I opened my eyes. I was in bed, blankets up to my chest. In one of the upstairs rooms at the Leaf House, judging by the ceiling. Just as clean as ever. It was wood, but with not a smudge or stain on it. The kids hadn't forgotten what I'd taught 'em. I was glad for that. Didn't get back here too often anymore. Though now, if Sector 7 was gone, that'd probably change pretty quick.

My stomach and side still hurt from where I'd been shot, but not as much as before. And I was bandaged, my abdomen and shoulder. Took a scrape on the head during the battle, but it looked like that had been bound up, too—I could feel the gauze against my skin. For a minute or two, all I did was just lay there staring at the ceiling. And then I heard a sweet, familiar voice call softly to me.

"Biggs…"

I knew that voice. "Tifa?"

When I turned my head to the left, she was there, sitting in a chair by the bed. Worry and relief were both on her face as she looked at me with those reddish, wine-colored eyes that always seemed to make my breath catch in my throat whenever I looked at them. Just like they did now. Neither of us said anything else at first.

She ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, it's me. I'm so happy you're awake! I was worried about you. I-I mean, we all were."

"We?" I blinked. "The others are here?"

"Most of us, yeah…" she said.

I gazed cautiously at her. "What do you mean, 'most of us'? What's goin' on, Tifa? Is Sector 7… gone?"

Tifa sighed. "Yeah, Biggs. We couldn't stop Shinra. Almost did, but they… they still beat us. Wedge and Lena got a lot of people out, but… Sector 7's gone. And… so's Jessie…"

For a moment, all I could do was lay there and stare at her, hearing her words again in my head. Sector 7 was gone, and so was Jessie. They had both been taken from us. I didn't want to believe it, but the pain in Tifa's eyes wasn't lying. I closed my own and sighed, then looked at her again, needing to know what had happened. Jessie'd been like a sister to me, just as much as Lena. And now…

"How?" I asked.

"Jessie was hurt in the tower on the way to the top," she explained. "Cloud saved her, though. After I caught up to them, we made it to the platform, met up with Barret, and fought the Turks. We beat them, and Jessie convinced them to walk away."

I blinked. "She did?"

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. Apparently, they helped her once, a long time ago, even though it went against orders. Then she disabled the console, but… Shinra had a backup system, one she couldn't stop. And… they'd also laid a trap for her."

"No…" I breathed. "Those bastards!"

"It… it exploded right in front of her, Biggs," she went on. "Threw her across the platform. And then… the pillar started to come down. A big chunk of it smashed through where she was before Cloud could get to her, and she… she fell…"

I clenched my fist as anger and grief swirled around inside me. My home and my friend, taken away. I'd been interested in her once, a long time ago, but… she hadn't been ready for anything like that at the time. Jessie hadn't wanted me to wait for her, either, feeling that it wasn't fair to me. She'd been looking out for me, not wanting me to miss a chance at happiness because I was stuck on her. So she had cut me loose so I'd be free to find it, telling me that while it wasn't gonna happen between us, she'd still always be there for me.

I felt wetness building in my eyes. "Jessie…"

"She's not dead, Biggs," Tifa shook her head. "Not yet."

"Huh?" I stared at her.

She took my hand. "Cloud believes she's still alive. And I trust him. Jessie's lost somewhere, back in what's left of Sector 7, and Cloud won't stop until he finds her—you know how much she means to him. We're all gonna help, too. We're gonna save her."

I sat up, or tried to. "Then I'm goin' with ya! I—"

"Easy now," Tifa gently took me by the shoulders and laid me back down onto the bed. "You're in no condition to go anywhere, Biggs. Not for a while, anyway. You need to rest."

"But Jessie—" I protested.

She wasn't having it. "We'll find her. Just leave it to us."

I sighed. "Guess I got no choice, do I?"

"Not at all," Tifa smiled. "Anyway, I should be going. The others are waiting to see you, and Barret's anxious to go check on Marlene. I don't need to tell you he's worried about her."

"Nah, I get it," I chuckled.

She stood up, waved, and started to walk toward the door. But then she stopped for a moment, slowly turned around, and went back to me. I watched as she sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes never leaving mine as she moved. And then, Tifa did something that took my breath away and made my heart skip a beat. She leaned in close and pressed her lips lightly against my forehead just below where the bandage was. I gasped at how cool and soft and good her kiss felt.

"Wha… what was that for?" I gazed at her in wonder.

She touched my cheek. "Being alive…"

Then she slowly got up again, her face turning pink as she hurried out of the room before I could say anything else. I still didn't know how or when I'd started to fall for her. Tifa'd always had a friendly ear and a good drink ready for me after Jessie had turned me down. Dunno why, but I had felt comfortable opening up to her about what had happened. It had hurt, finding out Jessie didn't have the feelings I did for her back then, but I'd understood and hadn't blamed her.

It had also been a bit of a relief in a way, as I'd told Tifa later. Jessie was a good friend, and by keeping it like that, she'd made sure that our friendship wouldn't get messed up. Wasn't easy, but over time, I started to appreciate what she'd done for us. Tifa'd been a big help, giving me a woman's perspective on the whole thing so I'd be able to see better just where Jessie'd been coming from. Maybe that's where it started, all that time Tifa and I had spent together.

Lots of late nights, just talking and sharing a few drinks. She was a friend, too, but… it was different with her somehow. Dunno why. And somewhere in the middle of all that time and talk and listening and her sweet smiles, I guess I began falling for her. But I didn't tell her. I didn't want what had happened with Jessie to happen with Tifa, too. I wanted things to be different this time.

So instead, I'd begun to help her out whenever I could. Keeping the bar clean, washing dishes, stocking the shelves for her, that kinda stuff. Anything I could do for her to make her life a little easier. Felt good to do it, too. I didn't know why she'd been acting so differently around me lately, but I wasn't gonna complain. I liked it. And as far as I knew, Tifa still didn't have a clue how I felt about her.

Then the others came in, Lena rushing ahead of them to give me a hug. Almost had to pry her off me, but I couldn't really blame her. She was my little sister, after all. And I was glad she was alright. So I let her hold onto me while Barret and Wedge crowded around me and Cloud stood just a little behind them. Tifa waited over by the door, letting the others have their turn to visit.

"You feeling okay?" Lena asked.

I laughed. "Better now that you guys are here. Kinda surprised Tess and Ms. Folia let you all up here at once, though."

She smirked. "We promised not to cause a ruckus."

"Guess that'd do it," I said.

"Wedge and I even brought the cats," Lena chuckled. "We left them with the kids downstairs for now."

I glanced over at him. "Got 'em out, too, eh?"

Wedge nodded. "Yeah. Wasn't gonna leave my babies."

"Good call, buddy," I grinned. "Always gotta look after your family. Even if it _is_ mostly fur."

"Right!" he said, giving me a thumbs up.

Barret went next. "Glad to see you're awright, Biggs. Seems they're takin' good care of ya here."

I couldn't deny that. "Sure are, boss."

"Good to know," he said. "I'll tell Marlene you said hi."

I smiled. "Thanks. Give her a hug too, will ya?"

"You got it," Barret promised.

"Hey, Cloud…" I glanced over at him. "Tifa told me about Sector 7. And Jessie. You'll find her, won'tcha?"

He reached over and clasped my hand. "Believe it."

I did. "Thanks, man. I do."

"Awright, people," Barret said. "Biggs needs his rest. Better clear on out now. We'll come back later."

"I wanna stay," Lena didn't budge.

Neither did Wedge. "Same here. We'll take care of him."

Barret clapped him on the shoulder. "I don't doubt it. Fair enough, then. While you two're here with Biggs, we'll go see Marlene. Shouldn't be long. Then we'll come back and start plannin' out Jessie's rescue. She ain't got a lotta time, so we'd best get movin'."

After that, he and Cloud left. Tifa smiled at me, then followed after them. Damn feathers flew all over my stomach at the sight of it. Wedge and Lena stayed close, and I was glad for the company. I worried about Jessie, though. She was alone, hurt and trapped somewhere in the ruins of Sector 7. Tifa'd been right, though. Cloud would find her. But I knew I wasn't gonna rest easy until she was safe.


	3. TWO

## TWO

"And that's my report, sir," Kunsel said.

I stood behind my desk, gazing out the window at what was left of Sector 7. Fires still burned all across the ruined district that was now a gaping hole in the city. A mountain of debris sloped downward toward the ground and the outer rim. I could only imagine how much worse it would look in a few hours when the sun rose.

In spite of all my efforts, the plate had still fallen. I had suspected it would, but still… I'd hoped that somehow, we might've stopped it, kept the Turks and Heidegger from dropping it. But I'd failed. And so many lives had been lost. Far too many. The survivors were all injured, tired, and homeless. What was it all for?

Off to one side, Cait Sith sat quietly in a chair, asleep—or rather, in shutdown mode. But I preferred to think of it as sleep, just as I liked to think of him as a real cat instead of the animatronic, high-tech puppet that he really was. I hadn't finished the second one yet, and it would be a little while before he was ready. But even when he was, I didn't intend for him to replace the first Cait.

They would both look, act, and sound a lot alike—this would help in their skills as infiltrators and information gatherers—but they would be very different in other ways. Their AI was built upon an interactive, adaptive learning system that was capable of growth and expansion. In other words, their memories and experiences would each be unique to them and distinct from each other.

I had told Kunsel before sending him down into Sector 7 that Cait was expendable. And, compared to Jessica, he certainly was. But it still would have been a loss, even so. Any Cait that came after him wouldn't have the same relationship with her or me or anyone else that he did. It was the hardest part of making him an individual.

I sighed. "Thank you, Kunsel."

"Director," he said. "About Jessie, I…"

"You made the right decision. Those people needed your help, and if another SOLDIER was indeed already in the tower looking after her, then there wasn't much more you could've done had you joined them. I saw everything Cait did, and between the two of you, I know just about all that happened with your mission."

I saw him look away when I turned around. "I suppose so. It's just, it was hard. I went down there to save her. And now… we don't know if she's even… still alive…"

"It's too soon to jump to conclusions," I reminded him. "Jessica still has the transmitter I gave her when she first started working here. And she'll contact me if she's able. Even if she doesn't, there's no need for us to assume the worst. Any number of things could've happened, Kunsel. Try not to worry. She'll be fine."

"Are you sure, sir?" he wondered.

Now I was the one looking away. "I hope so…"

Kunsel nodded. "What's our next move? Tseng knows I was trying to stop them from dropping the plate. Heidegger too, no doubt—that's why I had to fight my way down there through the tunnel. And I stood against the Turks as well. Reno and Rude would keep things quiet, but not Tseng. So what's our next step, Director?"

"Once Cait is back online, I'll have him do some snooping around and see if I can find out what exactly happened up on the platform and how they were able to bypass the emergency override. If Heidegger had the console tampered with, there would be a record of it here. But aside from that, there's little else we can do for now."

"Understood," Kunsel said. Then he winced, holding his side. "I… I should get going, sir. Before Tseng and Heidegger find out I'm here. If there's nothing else you need me to do."

I shook my head. "No, that's all, but… are you alright?"

He brushed off my concern. "I'm fine. Just a scratch. I'll get it seen to soon enough. Thanks, though."

"Of course," I said. "Can you make it back down the stairs?"

Kunsel smirked. "I'm a SOLDIER. I climbed up all those steps so I could sneak in here. I can get out again."

I shook his hand. "Fair enough. But get some rest."

"I will, sir," he promised.

Then he left, slipping out of my office just as quickly and quietly as he had arrived, limping slightly as he went. It seemed Kunsel was more hurt than he'd let on, but there wasn't much I could do about it. And he had said he'd get it taken care of. So I put it out of my mind and turned back to the window, gazing again at the smoldering remains of Sector 7 as I worried about my goddaughter.

_Please be safe, Jessica. Please be alive._

* * *

I fastened my robe over my nightclothes as I hurried to answer the door. There was another knock as I crossed the living room of my little apartment in Sector 4, but I wasn't worried. I knew exactly who it was. Only one person would've visited me at this late hour—it was well after midnight now—and only if he really needed my help. He was a friend, and I'd do whatever I could for him.

I opened the door, and there he was. "Kunsel, come in."

"Thanks, Marissa," he said. "Sorry to drop in on you so late. I hope I didn't wake you up."

"You're fine, you know that," I assured him.

He looked at me with those bright blue eyes of his. Jessie had loved them, and in the time that I'd known Kunsel, it hadn't been hard for me to see why. They were wonderfully soft and deep, like the sky on a clear summer's day. I'd found myself starting to notice them more lately than I used to, but I tried not to think about it too much, or what that might mean. Wasn't always easy, though.

"You've heard about the plate collapse?" he asked.

I shuddered. "Yes. It was on the news earlier. I felt vibrations under my feet a while ago. That… must've been when it went down, I guess. I still can't believe—Kunsel, you're bleeding!"

He was holding his side. "Guess it opened up again…"

"Come here and sit down," I told him, locking the door and taking his arm. "Let me take a look at that."

"Really, it's not—" he started to protest.

But I wasn't having it. "Oh, no. I know how you get, Kunsel. That's more than just a scratch, and I'm going to fix it up. Looks like you were shot. Were you on another mission?"

He sighed. "Yeah. To the slums. To try and…"

"I see," I nodded, leading him toward the couch. "I know you tried your hardest. Reeve sent you?"

"He did, but I'd have gone anyway, Marissa. Jessie was down there, right in the middle of it. In the pillar. Fighting to save her home. I went down there to save her and stop Shinra from dropping the plate, but… I couldn't do either. Sector 7's gone…"

I froze, my eyes filling with tears. "Jessie's… dead?"

He took my hand. "I don't know. She might've gotten out."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Might take a little while to tell," Kunsel said, sitting on the edge of the couch. "A lot went on down there…"

While I got my first aid kit out from under the kitchen sink, he set his sword aside and started to fill me in on what he'd been doing. Then I sat down next to him as he kept talking, telling me about how he had fought his way down to the slums through the Corkscrew Tunnel after meeting with Reeve in his office.

I set the kit on the coffee table and opened it. "You know you can't go back to Shinra. Not after all that."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I know. There's more, too."

"Go on, then. And take off your shirt," I told him.

He blinked. "Huh?"

I smirked. "You going all shy on me, Kunsel? I said, take your shirt off. I need to get at that wound to clean it, and I'm guessing that it's not the only one you've got. Am I right?"

"You know me pretty well," he admitted.

"I'd hope so," I said. "We've been friends for over two years now. So pull off that tunic and let me look at you. You're lucky that I spend a lot of time volunteering over at the Sector 4 branch of Midgar General as a medic when I'm not doing my IT work."

He started to take it off, then winced when he tried to lift his right arm over his head. Motioning for him to stop, I gently took hold of his shirt and had him lean forward a little instead. Then I pulled it off him as gently as I could and tossed onto the love seat nearby. I'd have to put it in the wash for him later, though he'd probably object. He was pretty self-reliant and didn't like others doing that sort of thing for him. But I didn't really mind helping him out.

When he straightened up, I felt a little flutter chase its way through my stomach. He was muscular but not overly so, and I could tell he got regular exercise. Kunsel was slim, fit, and _very_ attractive. I'd never seen him without a shirt until now, and I couldn't help admiring him. Jessie had good taste, and it was no wonder she'd fallen for him years ago. He was handsome, decent, caring, and funny.

Suddenly, I realized what I was thinking about and looked away as my cheeks flamed and guilt festered inside me. I knew I shouldn't have felt the way I did about him—he was my best friend's ex, and she might still have been in love with him, hoping to be with him again someday. Kunsel still cared about her, but I didn't know if it was love or if he had truly let her go and just thought of her as a close friend now. I'd always been too scared to ask and find out.

If Jessie and Kunsel did still hope to find each other again and pick up where they'd left off, I didn't want to get in the way. And I knew that I'd be happy for them if they did get a second chance. But as much as I wanted to, I couldn't seem to help how I felt. Of all the men in Midgar, why did I have to fall for him?

I never even saw it coming. Kunsel and I had grown close over the past two years, meeting often to give Heidegger's men the runaround. I had cut my hair and dyed it so it'd look more like Jessie's had back then. I had straightened out the curls, too. I missed my old look a little, but if it helped her stay safe by keeping unfriendly eyes away from her, then I didn't mind. I was only a little taller than her, too, so between that and the hair, I could pass myself off as her pretty easily as long as the troops never got too close. And they usually didn't.

Kunsel and I would always slip away before any of the troops could get a good look at me. We'd had a few close calls, and he'd saved me on more than one occasion, buying me time one way or another so I could escape. But we'd never been caught. And we'd kept the wool pulled over Heidegger's eyes all this time. I suppose all that shared danger brought us closer to each other, Kunsel and I.

Part of our little deception had involved making it seem like Jessie was trying to start over again in one place or another across Midgar. To keep Heidegger and his men guessing and so busy chasing us that they would never even think to search for her in the slums, where she really was. I wasn't an actress like her, but I thought I had still put on a pretty good show for the troops whenever Kunsel and I had met to lead them on. But I didn't know when simply pretending to be his love—walking the streets together, having dinner, that sort of thing—had turned into the desire to actually be with him like that.

I hadn't been with anyone since my husband died four years ago. It had taken me a long time to finally move on and let him go, although I still miss him—that's not something that ever goes away. But you learn to live with it, cherishing all the good memories while leaving room in your heart for something—or someone—new. But I had never thought that when I fell in love again, it would be with a man that I just couldn't have. And yet, my heart didn't care.

Shaking off my thoughts, I turned my attention back to Kunsel and treating his injuries. Which, I noticed when I took another look at him, were more extensive than he'd let on. The gunshot wound to his side as well as a number of cuts and slashes across his arms and chest. Bruises here and there as well. I sighed and got to work.

"So, what happened after you got to Sector 7?" I asked. "You didn't get all these wounds just from fighting on the Gust."

He moved his arm so I could clean his side. "You're right, Marissa. I did a lot more fighting once I got there. Shinra had sent soldiers right into the undercity, those drug-crazy grunts they have along with some mechs. They were killing and burning. I had to help. Aerith was there, and she asked me to, insisted that her friends would keep Jessie safe. So I went with her into town to get everyone out."

"Aerith?" I blinked. "What was she doing over there?"

I'd heard about her, from the stories Kunsel had told me. How she'd be a friend of his and Jessie's during her time at LOVELESS. Aerith had actually played a small part in bringing them together, giving them one of her flowers on their first date—real ones, not the silk blossoms you'd see in most other places. Kunsel had also told me how, when Jessie had been forced to leave the plate, he'd had Aerith meet her in the slums to help her start over down there.

Kunsel shrugged. "I don't know. But we went to a bar to find a little girl and help her escape—I think she's probably the daughter of one of her friends. And that's when the Turks found us—while Aerith was still inside the place trying to help her."

"Why would the Turks be after her?" I asked.

"Dunno," he said. "I kept their soldiers busy so Aerith could get the girl to safety, but the Turks went after her in their chopper. They came back later, though. I'd dealt with the soldiers and a few others with help from some friends when one of the Turks fought us. I don't think they wanted me to get back to the pillar in time."

I glanced up at him. "That's when you got out?"

He nodded. "After making sure my friends escaped, yeah. I'd never have gotten to the platform in time. It had taken too long for us to beat Rude. So I had to leave. Barely managed to get out. Then I went back to the Shinra Building, snuck up the emergency stairwell, and told Reeve everything that happened down there."

"No wonder this opened back up," I grimaced. "Rushing up almost sixty flights of stairs and then back down again? You know better than that, Kunsel. Even with potions, you still have to be careful not to put a strain on your injuries or that sort of thing's bound to happen. At least the bullet went all the way through."

After disinfecting the wound with some iodine, I bandaged it with some clean white gauze. Then I turned my attention to treating the rest of his injuries. They weren't all that serious, fortunately, but I still didn't like how many he had gotten. While I was still dabbing at them, Kunsel gently took my hand for a moment, and I felt my heart skip more than a beat when he looked at me.

"Thanks," he said, giving me a small smile. "I feel a little better. Not sure what I would've done without you."

I smiled back. "Of course. I'm always here for you."

For a moment, we just gazed at each other, and everything was still around us. I wanted to be with Kunsel, to show him how I felt, but… I couldn't. Jessie was too dear a friend, and I couldn't do that to her. So I blinked and looked away instead. And as I thought about Jessie, I knew what I had to do. We didn't know yet if she had escaped from Sector 7, but I intended to find out. Tonight.

I closed up the first aid kit. "Now you need to get some rest. Call it doctor's orders if you want. And in the meantime, I'll take the Gust and drive back down to the slums. We've gotta find out if Jessie made it and where she is now. I'll help her if I can."

"It's too dangerous!" Kunsel argued. "Shinra—"

"Isn't looking for me. And you need to stay out of sight for a while. I'll let you know what I find out when I get back. Now let's get the sofa pulled out so you can sleep. Even if she was stuck in the collapse, Jessie might still be alive. The plate didn't come down all in one piece, so she could be trapped in there somewhere."

He reached for his shirt. "I should go with you!"

"No!" I took his arm as my eyes locked on him. "SOLDIER or not, Kunsel, you're still wounded. I'll take care of this."

"Alright," he sighed.

I slid my hand to his shoulder. "I know you're worried about Jessie. So am I. But you're not going to be any good to either her or me if you don't take care of yourself."

Kunsel nodded. "Just fill me in on what you find out. Even… even if she's dead. I want to know, Marissa."

"Of course," I told him.

After helping him with the sofa—it was one of those pull out kinds that could unfold into a bed—I went into my bedroom and quickly got dressed. Just a pair of jeans and a plain, sleeveless white blouse. Then I hurried back into the living room, put my shoes on, and picked up my keys. Kunsel had given me an extra one for the Gust almost a year ago, just in case. I knew I'd need it tonight.

He was sitting on the edge of the sofa bed. "All set?"

"Yeah, I'm ready," I said, joining him for a moment. "Make yourself at home, okay?"

"Sure," Kunsel nodded. "Sorry to impose on you like this."

I took his hand. "You're not imposing. You're a friend in need. And I know you can't go back to your place, at least for a while. Not after all that's happened tonight."

"Thanks," he said, his eyes on me.

"You're welcome," I smiled. "Now get some sleep. And maybe, after I get back, I'll trim that hair of yours. It's getting a little long, you know. Better let me fix it up for you."

Kunsel smirked. "You're a stylist, too?"

"Not really," I laughed, ruffling his soft, light brown hair. "But I can at least make sure you're not lopsided."

"Fair enough," he agreed.

I stood up, gently squeezed Kunsel's shoulder, then headed toward the door. But when I was nearly there, I stopped for just a moment as I heard him moving. I turned to see him padding quietly toward me, his bare feet making almost no noise on the carpet as he moved across the room. Then he stopped just in front of me.

"Marissa?" he asked.

I stepped a little closer. "What is it, Kunsel?"

He fixed those gorgeous blue eyes on me. "Be careful, alright? I… I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I will," I promised.

Then, before I could think better of it, I wrapped my arms around Kunsel and hugged him, resting my head against the side of his face. It felt good, really good, and even better once I felt his hands on my back and waist as he hesitantly returned my affection. It was wonderful, and I could've stayed like this for hours, but then I thought of Jessie again. I let go of Kunsel in a hurry and looked away, shame and guilt mixing in with the worry I felt for her.

"You okay?" Kunsel wondered.

"I'm fine," I told him. "I'll be back soon. Take care."

On impulse, I went back to the kitchen for a moment and retrieved my first aid kit. Then, after waving to Kunsel as he laid down to sleep, I left, closing and locking the door quietly behind me. If Jessie was hurt, her injuries would probably be more serious that what I could treat by myself, but there was bound to be a clinic or something down there in the slums that could help her. I'd be there for Jessie however I could, as she'd been there for me in the past.

Kunsel had parked the Gust out of the way in his usual spot behind the building, so it wasn't hard for me to find. My car was next to it, and after getting my backpack out of the trunk, putting the first aid kit in it, and slipping it on my shoulders, I slid onto the Gust and started it up. I drove out onto the street, the engine humming beneath me, and made my way to the nearest entrance to the Corkscrew Tunnel. Shinra didn't guard it much here in Sector 4 since the place was usually pretty quiet. Just one bored, inattentive soldier.

I sped past the guard post and through the open gate two minutes later before the lone trooper had any idea I was even there. Soon I was inside the tunnel itself, the red lights a blur as I raced down the tracks. It was a good bet the Sector 5 slums exit was still open, though I didn't think any of the trains were running right now. Once I got out, I'd head over to the ruins of Sector 7. There had to be a way in, and I was going to find it if I could and search for Jessie.

* * *

The first thing I noticed was the Hardy.

It was parked just outside Aerith's house, by the porch railing. As I slowly walked over to it, I felt a rush of bittersweet memories rise up in my mind, images of Jessie and I working on it together, her little dream project that she'd shared with me. The day Biggs had caught us flirting with each other, trying to see who could get more grease on the other. I felt myself smile a little as I thought about it. We'd both ended up dirty, splashing each other as we rinsed off.

" _Looks like I win," Jessie_ _teased. "It'll probably take you a while to get this stuff outta those pretty_ _blond spikes of yours."_

She's won, alright. And it had taken a lot of time and scrubbing for me to get my hair clean after that. Of course, it had taken her a while to wash up, too. I ran my gloved hand lightly along the bike's leather seat, thinking of that day and hearing Jessie's voice almost as if she was there with me. Then there was another memory, the day we'd finally finished building the Hardy. I'd still thought it was hers.

" _Not anymore," Jessie drew closer to me. "It's ours, Cloud. We built it together, you and me."_

" _Then we'll start it together," I said._

And we had, the motor humming to life as Jessie and I had turned the key together, her hand over mine. We'd ridden it out of town to our secret place that day, an old picnic bench sitting on a high junk pile by the outer wall in between Sectors 7 and 8. After lunch, I had given her the vase for her flower, and we'd shared our first passionate embrace as a result. Tender kisses in the afternoon sun.

"Lena told us Aerith left Sector 7 with Marlene," Tifa reminded us. "Looks like they made it over here."

"Then Marlene should be inside," I nodded.

Barret started toward the door. "So c'mon, guys! What're we waitin' for? I gotta see my little angel!"

"Barret!" I frowned. "Take a breath."

He blinked. "Huh?"

I folded my arms in front of me. "You gonna just barge on in there? I doubt that'll go over well."

"Whaddya mean?" Barret scratched his head.

"She's with Aerith's mom," I explained. "And we've gotta tell Elmyra that her daughter's in Shinra's hands now."

Tifa took over, understanding what I was getting at. "You'll be able to see Marlene, Barret. But blustering in there's going to make breaking the news about Aerith harder than it already is."

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "I'm jus' worried 'bout her, you know. I ain't gonna feel like she's really safe 'till I can see her for myself with my own eyes an' hold her in my arms."

I couldn't blame him. "I understand, believe me."

Tifa glanced at me. "You feel the same way about Jessie, don't you? I know you do. It's in your eyes, Cloud."

"Yeah," I said. "I do."

As firmly as I believed that Jessie was still alive, I still felt the same way Barret did. I wouldn't be able to feel like she was alright until I saw her and held her close, until I could hear her voice again. She'd become so much a part of my life lately that I couldn't imagine her not being in it anymore. And I didn't want to.

Barret nodded. "We'll get her back, merc. Her and Aerith."

I knew we would. "Right. Now let's head inside."

With him and Tifa just behind me, I stepped slowly onto the front porch and went up to the door, not looking forward to what we had to do. But there was no helping it. Shinra was holding Aerith captive, and Elmyra had the right to know about it. Then I stopped for a moment as I remembered that she was a nurse. The slum clinics were bound to be swamped before long with wounded from the plate collapse, and Jessie likely didn't have much time, as hurt as she was. But if we could get her here, maybe Elmyra could help her.

Lifting my hand, I knocked firmly on the door.


	4. THREE

## THREE

The door opened barely a minute after Cloud finished knocking. A woman in a green dress and white apron held the door, her blond hair tied back in a bun as she gazed at us with a pair of tired, light blue eyes. She didn't seem surprised to see us. And, oddly enough, she didn't look a thing like Aerith despite being her mom. She urged us inside without a word, and we followed her into the house.

"Cloud, right?" she said.

He nodded. "Yeah. And about Aerith…"

There was a round wooden table in the center of the room. Elmyra sat down at it and sighed. "I know. Shinra took her from here not very long ago. They have my daughter now."

"They were here?" I asked.

"Had to be while we were in the pillar," Cloud said. "Tseng had her with him on the platform, remember?"

I did. "Yeah. But why did she leave here with him?"

"It's what she wanted," Elmyra explained.

"I don't understand," I said.

Cloud looked at me. "You heard Tseng—Aerith's an Ancient. That's gotta be why Shinra's after her."

"It's true," Elmyra added. "She's the last one."

Barret blinked. "What'd you say? But ain't you her mom?"

She shook her head. "Not by blood, no. I adopted her about fifteen years ago. I love her as if she were my own, though. In that respect and in every other, she's my daughter."

"I know exactly what ya mean," he told her.

"I can see that," Elmyra said. "Anyway, it's a fairly long story, and it may take some time for me to share it with you, so please have a seat. It all started during the war with Wutai…"

We all sat down around the table as Elmyra told us her story, and I found myself fascinated by it in spite of the terrible circumstances that had brought us here. Worry for Aerith and Jessie gnawed relentlessly at me, but there wasn't much I could do about it right now. And knowing more about why Shinra wanted Aerith so badly and who and what she was might help us save both of them.

"My husband, James, had been sent to the front lines," Elmyra said. "Shipped off to fight in the war. He built this house, actually. When we were engaged. Said he wanted to give his new wife a proper home. And we moved in right after we got married."

"It's wonderful," I told her, and I meant it.

She smiled. "Thank you. What was your name?"

"Tifa," I answered. "And the big guy over there's Barret."

"Well met, Tifa," Elmyra greeted me. "James and I have put a lot of work into this place over the years. Aerith always loved to help around the house, too. But I'm getting ahead of myself. My husband had left to fight against Wutai. We'd been married for five years by then. One day, I got a letter saying he was coming home."

I understood. "You must've been so excited."

She nodded. "I was, very much. I went to the station to meet James the day he was supposed to return, but… he never came. I wondered if his leave had just been postponed, and that was what I told myself. But deep down, I couldn't help fearing the worst."

"What happened?" I asked.

"I went back to the station every day, to wait and pray, hoping that he'd come home. And that's how I met her. She and her mother were at the station one day. Aerith was crying, and her mother was wounded. I think she'd been shot—there was so much blood on her dress. She was dying, laying on the steps leading to the platform."

Barret sighed. "Damn…"

Elmyra went on. "At first, I thought they were only topsiders who'd fallen on hard times. Or that maybe they'd run away from Wall Market. That sort of thing wasn't uncommon. I'd seen it too many times before. I tried to help Aerith's mother—I'm a nurse and have been since before I was married—but she was already fading. There was nothing I could do. With her last breath, she urged me to take her daughter someplace safe. And then, after that… she died."

"Terrible thing for a kid to see," Barret murmured.

"Yes, it was," Elmyra agreed. "She was crying, and she clung to me, asking me what was wrong with her mother. I didn't know what to say. My husband had been gone for so long—almost a year by then—and I was lonely. So I took Aerith home with me."

She continued. "It didn't take her long to adjust, and we grew close very quickly. Aerith loved to talk—she was a real chatterbox, telling me about all kinds of things, such as how she and her mother had escaped from a research facility of some kind. And that she wasn't sad anymore because her mother had returned to the planet."

"Returned to the planet?" Barret said. "Sounds about right."

"When I asked her if she meant one in the sky, she shook her head and said it no, that it was this planet. Right here. I didn't know what to say that that. Aerith was full of mysteries, in many ways. And then, one morning only a few months after I took her in, she came downstairs all quiet and told me something I'll never forget."

I gazed at Elmyra in fascination. "What did she say?"

"Aerith stood there and told me not to cry," she answered. "She just blurted it out. When I asked her what was wrong—bless her heart, she took my hand as she gazed up at me with her eyes so sad—she told me that someone I loved very much had just died. That his heart had come a long way to tell me goodbye, but that he couldn't stay because he had to return to the planet. I didn't believe her."

"But she was right," Cloud said.

Elmyra nodded. "Yes. A few days later, I received the notice. James had been killed in action. I don't know how long I sat here at the table, crying with my head in my hands and that damn letter lying in front of me. It might've been hours."

I sighed. "I'm so sorry, Elmyra…"

"Thank you, Tifa. I still had Aerith, and she was there for me. She'd just know things like that somehow. It was a lot to take in, but we were happy, she and I. Until one day. Until he came. Tseng, of the Turks. He just knocked on the door one afternoon and asked to speak to Aerith. I was surprised at how young he was, but also wary—he hadn't hesitated to reveal that he was from Shinra."

"What'd he want?" Barret frowned.

Elmyra glanced at him. "Aerith, of course. He told her she was one of the Ancients and not just an ordinary little girl. That they were once the original stewards of the planet whose wisdom would lead us to the promised land. Shinra doesn't think it's a myth or an allegory, as many people do. They believe it's real."

Cloud grimaced. "And they think Aerith can find it."

"Exactly," Elmyra agreed. "She wasn't having it, though. Kept going on about how she wasn't an Ancient. When Tseng asked her if she ever heard voices when she was all by herself, she denied it. But we all knew she did. Aerith tried so hard to hide her strange abilities, so I just acted as if I never noticed. But that man… he knew who she was, where she'd come from, and what she could do."

"Why didn't they just take her?" he asked.

She looked at him. "Shinra believes she has to go to them willingly or it won't work. They need her, so they won't hurt her. And we've been left alone for all these years. The Turks would always visit from time to time, but they never tried to force her to leave."

"So why now?" I wondered.

"Aerith brought a little girl with her when she came home," Elmyra explained. "But Tseng was right behind them. So she went with him on the condition that he'd leave the girl alone."

Cloud glanced at us. "That's gotta be Marlene."

Barret shot to his feet. "Marlene!? Aerith was caught because of my little girl? Marlene… she's my daughter. She's got short hair, really dark with a little red in it. She's jus' as cute as a button an' has the heart of an angel. An' she was wearin'… a pink dress! I'm sorry, Elmyra. I'm really, really sorry 'bout all this…"

"You're her father!?" Elmyra stood up, her hands on her hips. "Just how could you leave her alone like that?"

Barret seemed to wilt under her stern gaze despite being just over a foot taller than her. "Please don't start in on that. I think 'bout it all the time, ya see. What would happen to Marlene, if I… but I gotta tell ya, I don't got an answer. Wish to hell I did."

"Go on," she said, her voice softening a little.

"I wanna be with Marlene," he said. "I wish I could just be with her all the time. But I gotta fight. The planet, she'll die if I don't. The slums, the people here, all of it. So I'm gonna keep fightin'. But all I really want is to be with Marlene. I wish I didn't ever have to leave her, you know?. Ah, hell… I'm goin' in circles now…"

Elmyra gave him a gentle smile. "I think I understand. Barret, was it? She's sleeping upstairs. Go and see her."

The words were barely out of her mouth before he did just that, his eyes lighting up as he raced toward the stairs. Barret sped up them in a flash, taking them two at a time as he hurried to see Marlene. I couldn't blame him, of course. I had worried about her, too. But guilt ate at me. My request to save her had cost Aerith her freedom. All I'd been able to think about at the time was Marlene.

"I'm sorry, Elmyra," I told her. "It's my fault that Aerith was caught. I asked her to take Marlene to safety."

She shook her head. "You don't have to apologize. You didn't know what would happen to her, and it's not your fault. Aerith would tell you the same thing. It was only a matter of time, Tifa. I always knew… this day would come. That she'd end up back there."

Cloud rose to his feet, his blue eyes firm. "We'll get her back. That's a promise. She needs us."

"He's right," I agreed, joining him. "She's our friend."

Cloud's resolve, along with Elmyra's words, helped me to put aside the sense of responsibility I had felt for Aerith's imprisonment. I didn't know her very well yet, but she had put herself at risk for us more than once already. I wasn't going to back away from returning the favor. She wouldn't be a captive for long. I'd see to it.

But there was something else I had to do first. "Cloud, I want to go check on Marlene, too."

"Sure," he agreed. "Let's go see her."

I followed him upstairs, though we didn't rush up like Barret did. It really was a nice house, and we found him and Marlene in the third of three bedrooms—it was on the far end of a short hallway, a guest room with a dresser, mirror, and floral wallpaper. I started to go in there, but then Cloud caught my arm, and I stopped, seeing then what he already had. Barret was sitting on the bed, Marlene wrapped firmly in his arms as tears slid down his face.

"I'm… I'm so glad you're awright," he sniffed.

Marlene hugged him. "Don't cry, Daddy. Your whiskers hurt."

He smiled. "Sorry, honey. I'm just so happy to see ya, that's all. Was so worried about ya. So worried…"

"It's okay, Daddy," she told him. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, you sure are, sweetie," Barret held her close.

After sharing a nod with Cloud, we both started to leave, neither of us wanting to disturb their moment together. But then, the wood panel floor creaked under our footsteps, and Barret turned to see us standing in the hall. He gently set Marlene on her feet by the bed as he stood up and went over to see us, looking as if a huge weight had rolled off of his broad shoulders. And I think it had.

"We gonna help Aerith, right?" he said. "She an' Elmyra have done so much for me. If the Shinra think they can hold her hostage, they got another thing comin! I'm in, guys!"

Marlene trotted over to us, and I scooped her up, my own eyes not quite dry as I hugged her. "Hey there! I missed you."

"Hi, Tifa!" she said. "You're okay, too!"

"Better now that I've seen you," I smiled, setting her down.

Cloud just looked at her, not quite sure what to say or do. I wasn't surprised—he'd never been all that comfortable with kids. But Marlene didn't back away from him this time. She'd gotten used to him over the past two months, though she'd never said much to him. Both Jessie and I had loved teasing him about it.

"Guess what?" she said, walking right up to him. "Aerith told me a lot of stuff about you, Cloud. She said she thinks Jessie really likes you. I think so, too. That's why you gave her the flower, isn't it? Because you like her, too? I watered it for her!"

He nodded. "Yeah. I guess I do like her. A lot."

"I knew it!" Marlene grinned.

"Me too," I smirked, winking at Cloud.

She took his hand. "Oh, I wanna show you something! Come on! I left it downstairs. You'll like it!"

I chuckled to myself at the sight of Cloud letting Marlene lead him out into the hall and back to the first floor, and Barret couldn't hide his grin. Cloud looked a bit bewildered as she tugged him along, but when we got back to the living room and Marlene pointed to a small wooden side table next to the far wall, his eyes widened and he stopped. I froze as well, my mouth falling open.

On the table sat Jessie's flower in its blue glass vase. None of us had seen it earlier, as wrapped up as we'd been in our worry for her and for Aerith. Elmyra's story had completely engrossed us as well, but now, as Marlene stood proudly next to the little table, we all took it in. Of all of us, it was Cloud who spoke first.

"Marlene," he said. "You brought it with you, didn't you?"

She nodded. "Yep! Aerith said that I could. I wanted to keep it safe for Jessie. It's so pretty, and she really likes it."

Cloud knelt in front of her. "She does. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she told him. "Where is she? Is everyone okay? I wanna see everybody again."

We all looked at each other, none of us sure how we should answer her at first. Marlene didn't need to know very much, but she was smart enough to be able to tell when something was wrong. And she noticed our hesitation right off, her eyes going from one of us to the next until she fixed her worried gaze on Barret.

He sighed. "Jessie's hurt, honey. But we're gonna go find her an' get her some help, soon as we can. Everyone else is awright, though. Biggs, Wedge, an' Lena all send you their love."

"You'll bring Jessie here, won't you?" she asked.

"She needs to go where she can get cared for," Barret told her. "An' I dunno if this is the best place."

Cloud stood up. "Elmyra? A favor?"

"Yes?" she asked, walking over to us. "What is it?"

"We have a friend that we need to find first, before we head topside to save Aerith. She's badly hurt. You said you're a nurse, right? Would it be possible to bring her back here?"

She nodded. "Of course. I'll do what I can for her. The clinics here and in Wall Market are probably filling up by now. I'd be helping out in there myself, but I promised Aerith I'd take care of Marlene. When you find your friend, just bring her to me."

I smiled. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Tifa," she replied. "I'm happy to help."

Barret turned to her. "You done a lot for us, Elmyra. More than we deserve. An' I ain't gonna forget it. If you ever need anythin', no matter what it is, we gotcha covered. Jus' give us a holler."

"I appreciate it," she said. "Now go and look for your friend. I'll get things ready here in the meantime."

"You'll find Jessie, won't you?" Marlene asked.

Cloud knelt down in front of her again. "You bet. And we're gonna keep looking until we do."

"You promise?" she asked, her eyes on his.

To my delight, he gave her a faint smile. "Yeah. I promise, Marlene. And when I make a promise, I keep it. Jessie's… a very special friend to me. She's always been there for me, and I'm gonna be there for her, too. No matter what. I'll bring her back."

Marlene giggled. "Okay! Aerith too, right?"

"Right," he nodded.

And then, before Cloud even knew what was happening, she threw her little arms around him. He blinked, startled by her affection as the rest of us looked on in amusement. But after a moment and a nod from Barret, he hesitantly returned Marlene's embrace.

After Cloud let go and stood up, Barret took his place. "It's time for me to go, honey. But I'll be back soon, awright? With Jessie. So you jus' mind Miss Elmyra while I'm gone. I'll be goin' to help Aerith, too. That nice girl that brought you here. After Jessie's safe. Everything'll be fine, so don't you worry 'bout a thing."

"Okay, Daddy!" she said. "Hurry back!"

He hugged her tightly for a moment, then stood up and ruffled her hair fondly. After giving Marlene an embrace of my own, I followed the others outside. The yard with all its colorful flowers was very peaceful, and I wished I could've stayed to enjoy it. But I had two good friends in need. And I wasn't going to let them down.

I turned to the guys. "Back to the Leaf House?"

"Yeah," Barret nodded. "We'll go pick up Wedge an' Lena, then find that tunnel leadin' into Sector 7."

"I'm almost afraid to go back…" I sighed.

He took my shoulder. "I know, Tifa. It ain't gonna be a pretty sight. But Jessie needs us right now."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Let's go find her."

* * *

Lena and I were still visiting with Biggs when Barret and the others walked in. We'd brought up some food while they were gone—I'd been sure that Biggs could use a bite to eat, and I was definitely hungry, too. I was just finishing up my third helping when the others came back. As soon as Barret saw me, he laughed.

"Shoulda known you'd be refuelin', Wedge," he grinned.

Biggs chuckled as he sat in bed and ate. "'Course he is. Some things never change. Ain't that right, buddy?"

I took another bite. "Yeah! But we fed you, too."

"You sure did," he said. "Thanks. But you know what I'd really like? Jessie's famous Midgar Special."

"Same here," I agreed, knowing what he really meant.

Lena smiled. "Definitely!"

"Well, soon as we find her an' she's back on her feet, we'll jus' hafta have her make it for us," Barret added, catching on.

"Sounds good to me," Tifa said.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. But I want a whole pie for myself."

She smirked. "An entire pizza?"

"SOLDIERs have big appetites," he quipped.

"Almost as big as mine!" I added.

We all had a good laugh at that even as we knew what it was really about. We missed Jessie and wanted her back. She was so lively and fun to be around, and it just wasn't the same without her. I didn't want her to be gone. Cloud was sure she was alive, and if he said it, I believed it. I knew we could find her. I just knew it.

Lena looked at the others. "Is it time to look for her?"

"Sure is," Barret answered. "You ready?"

"Just give us the word, boss," I said, putting my tray aside as I stood up. "Lena and I are both good to go."

He clapped my shoulder. "It's given, Wedge."

"Sure wish I could go with you guys," Biggs sighed.

"So do we," Tifa smiled. "We'll let you know as soon as we find her, okay? Just try to rest for now."

He gave her a thumbs up. "Will do."

"Awright, people, let's get movin'!" Barret said. "Jessie's countin' on us. So let's not keep her waitin'. She's out there somewhere, an' we've got a better chance of findin' her than anyone else. 'Cause we'll look longer and harder for her than they ever will."

"We don't stop until we find her," Cloud told us.

Me, Lena, and Tifa all nodded our agreement, and after saying bye to Biggs, we hurried downstairs and left the Leaf House. As we headed through the streets of Sector 5, Lena and I listened as the others told us about their visit with Aerith's mom and Marlene. I didn't get a lot of it, but I knew that Shinra had her now and that Cloud would get her out. He could do anything! I really admired him.

We were just about to the other end of town, near the train station, when I spotted a familiar motorcycle parked next to one of the clinics. At first, I wasn't sure if it was the same one, but when I stopped to take another look at it, I didn't have any doubt.

"Lena!" I tapped her arm and pointed. "Look! It's his bike! It's gotta be! See how the chrome's a little blackened and discolored in places? As if it was in a fire. Like Sector 7! He's here!"

Her eyes widened. "You're right, Wedge! Come on!"

The others followed after us, and I wished I could've explained, but I was just too excited. We were almost to the clinic when the front door swung open and a woman walked outside. At first, we didn't pay much attention to her, but when she headed right over to Kunsel's bike, Lena and I exchanged a confused glance.

Who was she, and how did she know our friend? She was probably Tifa's height, which would've made her a little taller than Jessie, but not by much. Her hair was a lot shorter, though, hanging a little below her ears. And it was also a bit darker, kinda like Tifa's but with a little red in it as well. She looked like she might've been a little older than us, closer to Barret's age, probably. Kinda cute, though. Not in the same league as Lena, of course. No one was. To me, anyway.

"Um, excuse me," I asked the woman. "Do you know a guy named Kunsel? He's a friend of ours."

She blinked. "Yes, he's a close friend. Why?"

"Is he here?" Lena wondered. "He helped us back in Sector 7 when it was all coming down, and we were hoping he made it out alright. He did, didn't he? We've been worried about him."

The woman's eyes suddenly lit up. "Sector 7? Then you must be his friends, the ones he told me about! You helped him, too. Thank you so much! My name's Marissa, by the way. And he's fine. He's resting at my place on the plate over in Sector 4."

I sighed in relief. "Yeah, that's us! And I'm so glad he's okay. Kunsel saved my life. Oh, I'm Wedge, and this here's Lena. And those are more of our friends—Cloud, Barret, and Tifa."

"Very glad to meet you all," she said, shaking our hands.

"So what are you doing here?" Lena asked.

Marissa leaned against the bike. "I rode down here to find a friend of mine. She was still in the Sector 7 slums when the plate came down. In the pillar, actually. Trying to stop what Shinra was doing, according to what Kunsel told me. She's probably hurt, and so I decided to check the clinics to see if by chance someone might've brought her in before I headed over to Sector 7 myself."

My eyes widened. "No way… it can't be…"

"You know Jessie!?" Tifa gasped.

"Did ya see in here there!?" Barret asked. "Was she inside? Jessie's a friend of ours, too. A damn good one. But she's hurt, an' we lost sighta her when the plate fell. We tryin' to find her."

Marissa's mouth fell open. "Yes, I know her! And I wish she'd been in there, but she's not. Jessie's an old friend. She worked under me back when she was still at Shinra. Before we both left. We've been friends for years, and I'm so worried about her. After I bound up Kunsel's wounds, I rode straight here as fast as I could."

"You got him all patched up?" Lena said. "I _knew_ he was more hurt than he let on. No wonder he's resting."

Marissa nodded. "Oh yes, he can be stubborn like that sometimes. Always tries to take on everything all by himself. He's a wonderful guy, but he does make me worry like no one else."

"Sounds like someone I know," Tifa smirked at Cloud.

"Huh?" he glanced at her.

She winked, hands on her hips. "Nevermind!"

"When he came over tonight, I made him sit down so I could tend to him," Marissa continued. "Lucky for me, Kunsel wasn't in any shape to argue. I've got training in this sort of thing, so it didn't take too long. Then I left and came here to find Jessie."

Barret stared at her. "Trainin'? You a doctor?"

"No," she shook her head. "But I do volunteer as a medic at Midgar General up on the plate."

"Close enough," Cloud said. "Come with us."

Tifa nodded. "We could really use your help, Marissa. I know a bit about field medicine—my sensei taught me the basics—and I also have a materia, but I know it might not be enough by itself. Between the two of us, though, we might be able to at least get her stabilized. We've got a friend nearby who's a nurse, and she's willing to help if we can get Jessie back to her in time. We've gotta hurry, though."

"Then why are we still here?" Marissa answered.

"Thank you!" Tifa smiled.

Cloud looked at us. "You heard her, guys. Let's move!"

I grinned and shot him a thumbs up as Lena pumped her fist, and we all got underway again, Marissa driving her motorcycle slow so she wouldn't leave the rest of us behind. We hurried onto the winding dirt trail leading away from the Sector 5 undercity toward Sector 6. And as we went, I felt Lena's hand slide into mine. We were gonna save Jessie. I couldn't wait to see her again, up and about just like Biggs, smiling and laughing. And of course, eat her famous pizza!


	5. FOUR

## FOUR

We got back to Evergreen Park about fifteen minutes later. The trip had been thankfully uneventful, with no bandits or monsters to bother us. Not that we couldn't have handled them, but it would've taken time to fight them off—time Jessie might not have. We had taken the longer back road instead of the collapsed expressway for that very reason, not to mention Marissa's bike. With all the ravines and debris, there was no way she could've driven it through there.

People still huddled in the clearing nearby, but others lingered here in the park as well now, and it looked like some were even trying to get back into Sector 7, too. That tunnel Cloud and Wedge had mentioned. Others were going into and out of it, probably to search for lost friends and loved ones just like we were.

"Ready, Tif?" Cloud asked me as we went up to it.

I took a breath and nodded. "Yeah. It's still so hard to believe… it's gone. Shinra… they did it to us again, Cloud. Just like back home. Tore it all away from us, same as before."

He laid a hand on my shoulder. "Not all of it."

I followed his gaze to where Barret, Wedge, and Lena stood not far away as Marissa parked her bike by the tunnel entrance. And I thought of Biggs, resting at the Leaf House. We still had our friends, and I knew we'd always have each other, too.

"Yeah," I agreed. "They didn't. Not this time."

There were still two good friends missing from our circle—Aerith and Jessie. But we would get them back. We'd save them. I wasn't going to let Shinra keep them from us. And I saw the same thing reflected in Cloud's eyes, the same determination. I drew strength from it, knowing it wouldn't falter or fail. No matter the questions I still had about him, I knew he was still Cloud, my childhood friend.

Then we all went into the tunnel. It was narrow, with dirt walls and pipes running along the metal grating that made up the floor. Here and there, the passage was choked with debris that had crashed through the ground, and at times we had to squeeze our way past it, but we made it to Sector 7 without much trouble.

Or what was left of it.

"Goddamn…" Barret breathed.

He wasn't kidding. The slums were a wasteland of rubble, shattered buildings, and small fires. Smoke hung in the air, and half the area was totally buried, crushed beneath the weight of the broken roads, homes, smashed cars, and other debris that had fallen from the plate. The steel sky was gone, at least over Sector 7, and above us hung the real thing, a blanket of stars hovering in the night.

People from around town—neighbors, friends, customers—walked around the ruins and dug at the debris to find anyone they could, alive or not. The wounded sat or laid here and there, so many of them, while others looked after them as best they could. And then… there were the dead, their bodies for the most part thankfully covered with old sheets as soon as they were found.

"Hey!" a voice suddenly called to us. "Over here!"

I looked up at the owner. "Wymer!"

He was there, with his blue cap and brown beard, trying to move a large piece of concrete—a huge chunk of what might've once been part of a parking garage up on the plate—just enough to free a woman who lay trapped underneath it within the wreck that must've once been her house. She was still alive, but barely.

"Can you guys gimme a hand?" he asked.

Cloud nodded. "We're on it."

He, Barret, and Wedge hurried over, each taking hold of the debris to help lift it enough for the rest of us to pull the poor woman free. But as I knelt down along with Lena and Marissa to do that, I gasped when I suddenly realized who we were rescuing. She recognized me too, her eyes filled with sadness and regret.

"Derla…" I murmured.

She gazed up at me. "Tifa? Is that… you?"

I took her hand. "Yeah, it's me. I'm here. We're gonna get you outta here, okay? Just try to hold on."

While Lena and I took hold of her and Marissa got her first aid kit ready, Cloud and the guys started pulling, heaving at the slab of debris with all their strength. As soon as the gap was large enough, Lena and I carefully moved Derla out into the open. Marissa took one look at her, then sighed and shook her head. I saw it, too.

Derla's body had been broken, crushed during the impact, and her blouse was splattered with blood. It leaked from the side of her mouth as I sat with her and held her in my arms. Derla gazed at me, breathing in ragged gasps as tears glistened in her eyes.

"Tifa…" she wept. "I didn't mean… for this to happen. This was… all my fault. I… I'm so… sorry…"

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and nodded, not knowing what to say but wanting to be there for her nevertheless. Derla gave me a faint, grateful smile, then let out a single long, pained breath. She didn't take the next one. I saw the light leave her eyes as she died, and I bowed my head, a tear sliding down my cheek.

She hadn't been an easy woman to get along with, and I'd had more than a few sharp words with her over the years. But I never wanted this for her. And I was going to make sure Shinra answered for her death as well as all the others they'd caused tonight. Although she had made her share of mistakes, Derla had been honest enough to own up to them in the end, and that's how I remember her. After slowly lifting my head, I closed her eyes and gently set her down.

Then I stood up and sighed. "She didn't deserve this…"

"No one did," Cloud agreed.

"We'll explain that to Shinra soon enough," Barret said. "Now let's go on. Jessie's waitin' for us."

As Wymer draped a sheet over Derla's body, we moved on, heading slowly down the ruined street. I hated seeing my home like this, and as we got closer to where the bar should've been, I found myself avoiding the sight of it, looking one way or the other but not at _Seventh Heaven._ I just didn't know if I could bear it.

"Tifa," Cloud touched my arm a moment later.

I looked up. "No…"

The bar—the warm, comforting place that had been a home to me for the last five years—was nothing but a burnt, charred shell of its old self, the back half crushed underneath the weight of tons of rubble and debris. The sign was scorched, broken in two, the awnings all but gone. And the stairs and patio were a shambles.

I took a few steps forward, my eyes wet. I wasn't the only one. Lena and Wedge both had tears in their eyes, too. Barret gently laid his hand on my shoulder as Cloud stood by my side. We all gazed for a moment at what was left of _Seventh Heaven._ It had been such a good part of our lives and had held so many fond memories.

The day I had inherited it from the previous owner, realizing it was mine for the first time. Trying out new recipes with Wedge, having late night drinks with Biggs. Playing dolls with Marlene upstairs. The night I'd first met Jessie, when Biggs and Wedge had taken her here to grab a bite to eat after bringing the cats home. The day she'd joined Avalanche and we'd had our first toast together as a group.

And then there was the night I'd reunited with Cloud and brought him to the bar. It was the same night he and Jessie had first met. At this very place. I saw how he and I had playfully haggled the next day about his fee for helping Wedge patrol the outskirts. Cloud and I talking after the Reactor 1 mission about his promise and how happy I was when he had agreed to stay. Dinner and dessert with him and the gang. Playing poker together after the warehouse mission. Jessie helping me prepare to go undercover and infiltrate Corneo's mansion.

The memories flooded my mind for a moment, so many at once. It was overwhelming. Biggs bringing in Marlene one day a few years ago, both of them covered in mud after she'd jumped into a big puddle over at the nearby playground. Barret, Jessie, and I had gotten a good laugh out of it. And then, there was the first time I'd hugged Biggs, before the Reactor 5 mission. By the front door.

"We gonna build us a new one," Barret told us. "When this is over. Jus' hold onta that, guys."

"We will," I agreed, smiling gratefully at him.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah."

Wedge gave me a thumbs up. "It'll be great, Tifa. You'll see. We can try out some new recipes."

"Thanks, Wedge," I hugged him.

"We're all right here for ya," he told me.

Lena took his place when he let go. "What he said!"

"You think Kunsel and I could help?" Marissa asked. "I'm sure he'd love to pitch in. If that's okay."

I wiped my eyes. "Of course! Thank you…"

They were right, and I was so glad they were there with me. When we had saved Aerith and Jessie and everything had settled down, I'd see about building a new bar. We all would. As I gazed again at the ruins of _Seventh Heaven,_ I took a deep breath and let that hope fill me. I would hold onto it, just as Barret had said. It was time to move on, but before I could, I suddenly heard a voice shouting from just a short ways down the road. And I knew who it was.

"Ma!" Johnny shouted. "You in there!? Say something!"

We all hurried past the bar, and I saw him a moment later, his red hair bright in the gloom as he tore desperately at the wreckage of what had once been a small house. It was completely buried underneath the crushing weight of several huge chunks of the plate's underside. Cloud and I just sighed, knowing there was no way anyone could still be alive in all that. But Johnny kept digging anyway.

A woman was with him, her long, bright red hair spilling over one shoulder. She stood there, seeing the same thing we did, and at her feet was a case of cloth pads along with bottles of what looked like different medicinal creams, probably for treating burns, scrapes, and other small injuries. As Johnny kept furiously tugging at the rubble, she gently laid a hand on his arm and shook her head.

"Johnny…" she said.

He pulled away from her. "She's gotta be in here, Sandra. She's gotta be! I can't… I can't just…"

Sanda looked away. "I'm sure she was, but…"

"Hey!" Johnny finally saw us, his eyes glistening and wet. "Tifa! It's you! And Cloud! Bro! You gotta help me, man! Ma's trapped in there! I came back here right after the plate came down, hopin' she got out, but I ain't seen her or my cousin. They…"

"I'm sorry, Johnny…" I hugged him. "But… they're gone."

He shook his head. "No! They can't be! They just can't! What am I supposed to tell Pop? He's still back in Wall Market, just couldn't bring himself to come here and… and see it for himself. Ma's gotta be alive! I can't tell him that… that she's…"

"Johnny," Cloud took his shoulders. "Pull it together."

"Yeah, man… sorry. Just can't believe this shit really happened. It's like a bad dream, you know?"

Cloud let go. "Yeah. I do. But it did."

"You came back to help everyone, didn't you?" I added.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. When I saw my house… I just kinda lost it. But you're right, Tifa. Maybe… maybe I can get some other people out, you know? That could still make it. I'm kinda strong. Not like Cloud or anything, but… I still wanna help."

"You'll find a way," Sandra assured him.

"I hope so," he said, wiping his eyes. Then he looked back at us. "If we can give you a hand, well, we're here. You guys looking for someone in particular? Or are ya just here for everybody?"

Cloud folded his arms in front of him. "Jessie. She's probably by the pillar, or at least where it used to be."

"I ain't seen her, but I'll be glad to help you look," Johnny said. "We both will, if you guys don't mind. Didn't know her that well, but she's a friend in need, so ol' Johnny's ready to pitch in."

"We'd appreciate it," I smiled.

He pumped his fist. "Alright! Just lead the way!"

In spite of our grim surroundings, I felt my hopes grow along with our numbers. We had a nice little group together now, all dedicated to finding and saving our lost friend. As we made our way steadily toward what was left of the outskirts, Marissa and I helped anyone else we saw who was wounded, tending to them as best we could. Sandra helped as well, sharing her supplies and soothing people's hurts in whatever way she was able with her salves and bandages.

The guys moved what debris they could, getting as many survivors free as they could while we all made our way slowly but steadily toward where the pillar used to be. I tried not to look at the huge empty space, but it wasn't easy. I'd seen pieces of it all over what was left of the slums, and there would surely be more in whatever was left of the pillar's base. And Jessie was trapped somewhere in all that. But wherever she was, I was going to find her. We all were.

* * *

We were about halfway through the outskirts when we came to the wall. Well, not a wall, exactly, but the path leading to the pillar complex was choked with rubble and debris piled on and around the remains of a crashed Shinra chopper. The one Barret had shot down, most likely. I frowned, not liking the sight of that barrier.

Tifa stood next to me. "What do we do, Cloud?"

I glanced at Barret. "Think you can shoot us a way through?"

"Worth a try," he nodded. "Back up."

We did that as Barret brought up his gun-arm and took aim. Then he fired, pouring bullets into the rock and broken concrete. But though he blasted plenty of it apart, sending fragments flying, the larger pieces didn't budge. After a moment, he sighed, shook his head, and lowered his arm. Disappointment filled everyone's faces.

Then I turned to them. "I don't know about you, but I didn't come all this way to be stopped by a damn wall. Jessie's out there somewhere on the other side, and if I have to dig my way through this thing to get to her, then that's what I'm gonna do."

"You heard him!" Barret barked. "Let's get to it!"

Then I felt a hand fall on my shoulder. When I turned to see who it was, my eyes widened. "Jules?"

It was him, alright. That trainer from the gym in Wall Market. But he wasn't alone. He had what looked like all his musclebound workout buddies with him. They must've shown up while Barret was busy firing at the rubble, and it had been so loud it had drowned out the sound of their approaching footsteps.

"Good to see you again, Cloud," he said. "Andrea sent us over here to help not long ago. We've been freeing anyone we could find, putting our strength to use, and we heard you were heading this way. And that the road was blocked. Need a hand?"

I nodded. "Yeah, anything you can do. And… thanks."

He smiled. "Like I told you in the gym, you're part of the family. So that means we help each other out."

"Thank you so much!" Tifa's eyes lit up.

"Anytime," Jules said. Then he looked at his men. "Alright, boys! It's time! This is what we train for! So get in there and make a path! There are people on the other side who need our help. Ronnie! Jay! You know what to do. Put your backs into it!"

Ronnie grinned at me. "Don't worry, man. We got this!"

"Right," I said. Then I looked at the others. "You heard him. Jessie's counting on us. So let's tear a way through this thing!"

"Yes!" Barret pumped his fist.

Wedge rushed in, grabbed a large chunk of concrete, and started to pull it free. "Hang on, Jessie! We're coming!"

Tifa tightened her gloves. "Big sister's on the way."

The rest of us followed suit, pulling away whatever rubble we could while Jules and his men did likewise. Sometimes it took two or three of us together to move the larger and heavier pieces of debris. And while Barret, Wedge, Johnny, and I kept at it and Tifa smashed jagged chunks of concrete to dust left and right, Jules had several of his men grab hold of the ruined chopper and slowly push it aside. He and the others kept clearing the rubble as Lena, Sandra, and Marissa moved as many of the smaller fragments out of the way as they could.

As soon as the way was clear, I ran through, Tifa and the rest right behind me. It wasn't very far to the pillar complex, and my heart raced as I thought about how close I was to finding Jessie. She had to be here, probably trapped in the debris. There was a lot of it here, broken pieces of the pillar and twisted sections of stairs. A small mountain of it lay at the base of where the tower had once been.

"She's gotta be in here somewhere," I told the others. "Fan out! You know what to look for! Go!"

They didn't hesitate, spreading out at once. We searched the debris, checking every bit of rubble we saw. I pulled at the shattered chunks of concrete one after another, looking desperately for Jessie. But she didn't seem to be anywhere. It was a large area, though, and I wasn't going to give up. I don't know how long we spent in that place, turning over bits of rock and frayed wires, but I didn't care. I wasn't leaving without her. And I wasn't going to accept that she was buried deep underneath this mound of wreckage where we couldn't reach her.

"Cloud!" It was Johnny. "Over here!"

I whipped my head up from where I'd been searching and ran over to him. He'd been looking toward the back half of the ruin, and when I saw what he was kneeling by, my eyes widened and my heart suddenly sped up. It was the broken edge of the platform that Jessie had been on. It had smashed through the bottom floors of the pillar and had landed upside down, half-buried by rubble.

Jessie was pinned beneath it, lying on her stomach with only a few inches between her and the broken metal grating. It was just enough to keep her from being crushed by the weight of all the debris above her. I immediately started throwing it off as Johnny did the same. And then I remembered the others.

I glanced over my shoulder. "Barret! Wedge! We found her!"

"On our way!" Barret called.

They were there only a few seconds later along with Jules, Ronnie, and Jay. We cleared away the debris bit by bit—broken beams, cracked slabs of concrete, fragments of the plate's underside—while Marissa got her kit open and Tifa and Lena knelt nearby, ready to pull Jessie out as soon as we got her free. After a few endless minutes, we'd finally moved enough rubble to get at the broken platform section. I took one end as Barret took the other while the rest of the guys lined up in the middle. I nodded, and we all got ready.

"Pull!" I ordered.

We all did, and even with my SOLDIER enhancements, it still took all my strength to move the thing. The impact from the fall had driven it right into the ground along with the weight of all the rubble that had collapsed on top of it. The broken section of the platform didn't budge at first, stuck as it was, but we didn't stop. And soon enough, I heard it tear free from the dirt. Tifa and Lena moved in right away, reaching for Jessie and carefully bringing her out into the open.

Tifa looked up at us. "Got her!"

We set the platform section back down at once, and I immediately knelt down next to Jessie to take a closer look at her as the others stood nearby. She was bloodied, bruised, and burnt, covered in ash, dirt, and dust, her eyes closed. I gently took her hand, needing to touch her after all that had happened. Her skin was cold and clammy, almost like clay, and for a moment I was afraid she was already gone. But when Marissa took her pulse, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"She's alive!" she gasped. "Just barely, but… she is!"

Relief flooded through me, and I kept gazing at Jessie and holding her hand while Tifa focused on her materia and Marissa opened up her first aid kit and took out a number of trauma pads, gauze rolls, medical tape, potions, and other supplies. Sandra got some of her creams ready as well to help treat Jessie's burns. Fortunately, none of them were more than second-degree at the most. The others huddled close by, watching anxiously as the girls worked. Marissa looked at the potions she'd taken out, then picked a darker blue one.

"Get her mouth open," she ordered us. "This won't heal everything, unfortunately, but it should help with some of her lesser injuries so we can move her. Understand?"

I nodded. "Got it. Barret, gimme a hand."

"Right here, Cloud," he said.

Between the two of us, we got Jessie's head elevated and her mouth open so Marissa could give her the potion. And as we were doing that, Tifa called on the materia's magic, and green sparkles of healing energy enveloped Jessie's body for a moment before disappearing. Some of her smaller cuts and burns began to close up and heal while Sandra gently rubbed her medicinal salve where she could.

Marissa sighed as she started bandaging the rest of Jessie's wounds. "She's bound to have internal bleeding and other injuries inside that we can't get at here. Not to mention the bullets in her arm and shoulder. It should be safe to move her now, though."

"Then let's get her back to Elmyra," I said.

Johnny glanced at me. "She gonna be alright, bro?"

I knew she would. "Yeah. She will."

With Sandra's help, Marissa finished binding up Jessie's wounds as Tifa cast another cure spell. Then they moved back and gathered their things together as I carefully picked Jessie up and held her in my arms. I gazed at her, so relieved to see her again even hurt as she was. My left arm was wrapped under her thighs while my right supported her lower back and waist. Her breath was just a faint whisper.

The armored breastplate Jessie wore was a blackened, charred mess now, and the dark blue leotard and thin chain shirt underneath it were both burnt and torn. Her gloves and pants were stained with blood and scorched from the fire, and so were her metal shin guards. Her leather belt pouch was badly seared, and I realized that she must've been out of raspberries by the time I'd reached her.

The one she'd thrown at the chopper had to have been the last, and that had been incredibly lucky for her. If Jessie had still had any, they'd have exploded when the console did, killing her on the spot. It seemed the baby chocobo feather still worked, not that I'd ever doubted it. She had also landed in just the right way to keep from being crushed. More good luck. And as I thought about that, I was _very_ glad that I had given the feather back to her in the pillar.

I looked at Jules and his boys. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it," he grinned. "Just be sure to come and work out with us sometime, alright?"

"Deal," I agreed.

Tifa stood up and joined me. "Count me in!"

"Looking forward to it!" Jules laughed. Then he turned to his boys. "Alright, let's see who else we can find. There might be other survivors out here somewhere, so let's move!"

Then they hurried away, scattering to search more of the ruins. As I watched them go, I reminded myself to thank Andrea the next time I saw him. Tifa smiled for a moment, then it faded as she gazed at Jessie, worry in her wine-colored eyes. The others waited expectantly around us as I gently cradled Jessie in my arms.

"We'd better go," Tifa said.

"Yeah," I agreed. But first, I looked over at Johnny and Sandra for a moment. "Thanks, guys. You did good."

Johnny nodded. "Sure thing, bro. I hope she pulls through."

"Me too," Sandra added.

"We'll stick around to see who else we can help," he said. "I need to figure out how to tell Pop about Ma, too."

Tifa laid a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be okay, Johnny."

"Thanks, Tifa," he replied. "And good luck!"

With that, the rest of us all hurried back toward town, making our way carefully through the cleared barrier before continuing on through the outskirts. There were more people bustling about the ruined streets when we returned than there had been earlier. Moving debris, tending to the wounded, passing out food, and more.

As we headed down the road toward the tunnel entrance, I heard a familiar voice calling to us, and when I looked to my right to see who it was, I blinked in surprise. Lydia waved at me with her free hand as she came over to see us carrying a stack of clean, neatly-folded blankets in her other arm. Her short brown hair swished lightly around her ears as an excited smile lit up her face.

"Cloud!" she called. "Didn't expect to see you here!"

"Surprised to see you, too," I said.

She pointed to her blankets. "Dad and I started to make these after the plate fell. We don't know much about medicine, but we can at least make sure the people here are warm and comfortable. They don't have anywhere to go, the poor things."

Tifa smiled. "You're Gant's daughter, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's me," Lydia said. "How did you… wait a minute, you're Tifa! The one Cloud and Aerith went into Corneo's mansion to rescue! They told me about you before they left."

"It's very nice to meet you," Tifa shook her hand. "And what you're doing here is really wonderful. Thank you."

Lydia blushed. "You're welcome. I'm glad to help."

Gant was a dressmaker in Wall Market and had made me my dress so I could infiltrate Corneo's mansion with Aerith to save Tifa. Corneo had been planning to take Lydia as one of his brides, but we had made damn sure he knew it was a bad idea.

"Don Corneo still bothering you?" I asked her.

Lydia shook her head. "Nope! He's gone, actually. Left town, if you can believe it. I say good riddance!"

I stared. "He did?"

"Yeah!" she said. "Right after the plate fell, some guys from Shinra came tearing through town and stormed into his mansion. They never found him, though. But his men scattered, and I think they're all gone, too. I don't know what you all did in there, but whatever it was, Shinra's pissed with Corneo. I knew you'd kick him out!"

"It was our pleasure," Tifa grinned.

Lydia blinked. "Wait, where's Aerith? Isn't she with you?"

I sighed. "Shinra's got her. Took her while we were fighting to save this place. We're getting her back, though."

"I know you will," she nodded. "Kick ass, alright?"

"You bet," I smirked.

She gazed at Jessie. "I hope your friend makes it, Cloud. Looks like she's had a pretty rough time."

"She has, and she will," I assured her. "She's strong."

Lydia unfolded one of her blankets with a flick of her arm and laid it carefully over Jessie. "Here you go. Don't want her catching a cold or getting infected. Who is she?"

I answered with a single word. "Firebrand."

As soon as I said that, Lydia's eyes widened. Firebrand was a legend in Wall Market, a name and reputation Jessie had unknowingly earned after her own run-in with Corneo two years ago. And Lydia, like many young women of the town, really admired her because of how she had stood up to the Don, torched his pet Abzu, and successfully escaped. It had given her and those other women hope.

"Really!?" Lydia gasped. "I _knew_ she was real! She must've put up a hell of a fight to get so hurt…"

I nodded. "She did. She was trying to save everyone."

"Of course she was," Lydia marveled. "She's Firebrand. Now I _know_ she'll be okay. Nothing's gonna keep _her_ down!"

Barret grinned. "Damn straight!"

Tifa smiled."We'll tell her you asked about her. She'd be very happy to know what you're doing here. This was her home as well as ours. So we all appreciate your help."

"Thank you!" Lydia gushed. "Anyway, I'd better go. Lots of work to do. But it was good seeing you all."

"Tell your dad thanks for us," I replied.

She waved. "Will do! Bye!"

As she hurried away to pass out more blankets and we got moving again, Wedge scratched his head. "So, what's this stuff about Firebrand? I didn't know Jessie had a nickname."

"Neither does she," I told him. "It's a long story."

"Sounds pretty cool, though," Lena said.

Tifa chuckled as we walked. "It sure is. We'll tell you all about it on the way back to Sector 5."

"Not _all_ about it, I hope," I groaned.

"Hmm? Oh, right," she smirked. "Your little… disguise."

Barret blinked. "Disguise?"

"Nothing!" I said, hurrying on.

"The hell's gotten inta ya, merc?" he wondered.

Tifa giggled. "Let's just say we had some rather _colorful_ adventures in Wall Market before we made it over here. We found out about Jessie and her nickname in the middle of all that."

"Here's the tunnel," I said, changing the subject. In a hurry. "Better head on back. Elmyra's waiting for us."

The opening was right in front of us, and while Tifa didn't argue, I didn't miss the little wink she gave me. She'd keep quiet about the dress I'd had to wear, and I could only hope Aerith would do the same once I had rescued her and things had calmed down. In any event, I put it out of my mind as we descended into the passageway, our footsteps loud in the stillness. I kept Jessie close as I walked.

Marissa moved up alongside me. "Cloud, I've got an idea. Once we get back to the park, take Jessie on the Gust and ride on over to Sector 5 ahead of us. That way you can get her to Elmyra faster. We'll catch up to you guys as soon as we can."

"Sure thing," I told her. "Thanks."

"My pleasure. I just want to give Jessie the best chance she can get, you know? She's stable for now, but still very weak. And not even close to being out of the woods yet."

I knew she was right. "She'll make it."

"I hope so," Marissa said.

The rest of the trip through the tunnel was uneventful as we made our way through the narrow passageway. Carrying Jessie in my arms, it was a little harder to squeeze past the large, fallen chunks of debris that partially blocked the way, but I managed.

We emerged back in Evergreen Park a little while later. I didn't stop or slow down but went right over to the Gust. I'd told Tifa and the rest about Marissa's plan on the way through the tunnel, so they knew what to do. I carefully handed Jessie over to Barret for a moment, and then I slid onto the Gust as Marissa tossed me the keys. I sat toward the back instead of on the driver's seat and turned on the bike.

It roared to life, purring nicely, and I nodded in satisfaction. Barret and Wedge gently passed Jessie back to me when I was ready, and I sat her in front of me, holding her in place with my left arm and using my right to grip the handlebar. Her head drooped limply down as Tifa and Lena put her feet on the footrests. And then, Tifa smiled as she slid one of Jessie's hands under mine until I took it.

"Good luck, Cloud," she said. "We'll be right behind you."

"See you soon," I promised.

Then I gunned the engine and drove away, heading down the road toward Sector 5. I stayed on it when it split, knowing I couldn't make it through the collapsed expressway like this. But Tifa and the others just might, and it could save them time if they got lucky and didn't run into many bandits or monsters on the way.

As the junk piles flew past under the night sky, I held Jessie against me as her hair fluttered past my face. I drove as fast as I dared, weaving along the trail as it twisted back and forth. As I sped along, my eyes on the road, I gave Jessie's hand a gentle squeeze, telling her without words that I was there. She didn't respond, but I hadn't expected her to. What mattered was that we were together again. We'd sort out the rest later. I leaned closer to her so my mouth was by her ear.

"You're gonna be fine, Jessie," I murmured. "You're gonna make it. We beat fate, and now we're gonna beat death. So stay with me, alright? I'm here, and I'm not letting you go."

Holding Jessie close, I drove through the night.


	6. FIVE

## FIVE

"So, which way?" I asked.

Barret and I stood with Wedge, Lena, and Marissa a short distance down the trail where it split in two. On our earlier trips, we had always taken the longer route. But with time being of the essence, I felt we had to risk going through the collapsed expressway. Cloud had left not too long ago, speeding away with Jessie on the Gust down this same road. I was sure he had taken the long way—the bike couldn't make it through the underground ruins he and Aerith had traveled through earlier. But we could. And I was more than ready.

Barret scratched his chin. "That highway you told me 'bout seems like the best bet, Tif. Could save us some time."

"My thoughts exactly," I agreed.

"Awright, people," he announced, looking at all of us. "Check your gear. We gonna take the short path back to Sector 5. Ain't as safe as the long way, but we need to get back soon as we can. So stay close an' keep your eyes peeled. Understand?"

After the rest of us had all acknowledged him, we got moving. I fell into step next to Marissa while Wedge and Lena followed behind us as Barret took the lead. The entrance to the collapsed expressway was just ahead of us, and from what Cloud had told me, the place was home to all kinds of monsters and thugs. He and Aerith had encountered a few, and I was sure that we would as well.

I glanced at Marissa as we walked. "Can you fight?"

"No, sorry," she shook her head. "I'm a computer tech and a medic. I'm afraid I don't know much about that sort of thing. I've lived on the plate all my life. Guess I'm a bit sheltered, huh?"

I smiled. "No, Marissa, you're not. You just didn't know. And when it really mattered, you still came here to help."

Marissa smiled back. "That's kind of you to say, Tifa. Jessie's a very dear friend. She's been there for me more than once over the years, and I just wanted to do the same for her."

"Same here. And I'm sure she'll be glad to see you when she wakes up. In the meantime, try to stay close to me if you can. I'll look out for you. Sound like a plan?"

"Yes, thank you," she nodded as we entered the highway. "I've been in dangerous situations before, just… nothing like this. I don't want to be a liability to you guys."

I patted her arm. "You won't. What sort of danger?"

"Well, you know Jessie's really Heidegger's daughter," Marissa said. "What you heard on the platform was true."

I did, and while I was still surprised at the revelation, it didn't for a moment change how I felt about her. Jessie was still my friend. During our journey back to Sector 7, Cloud, Barret, and I had told Marissa and the others everything that had happened on the platform, from battles with the Turks and Jessie disabling the console to the revelations Tseng and Heidegger had sprung on us. We had also talked about how Aerith had been captured and how Shinra's hidden backup system had set off the detonator in spite of Jessie's attempts to stop it.

We had finished our story with how Heidegger's trap had so badly hurt Jessie before the falling debris from the plate had ripped her away from us before our escape on the zip line. But now, even as wounded as she was, Jessie was back with us. Where she belonged. And I was going to make sure it stayed that way.

"No wonder she kept quiet about her past," I replied.

Marissa didn't argue. "Yeah, she's always been like that. She worries about endangering her friends because of it. Anyway, back when Jessie was still acting, she looked a lot different. More like I do now. There's a good reason for that, you see."

I thought I understood. "You've been pretending to be her, haven't you? Ever since she left."

"Yeah. Heidegger's men aren't the brightest bunch, and as long as I never got too close, it was easy enough to fool them into thinking I was Jessie. And I've kept them guessing and chasing after me from one end of the plate to the other for the past two years."

"Which prevented them from looking for her in the slums," I said, smiling. "You're braver than you think. Jessie's been our friend for most of that time, and I can tell you we're grateful for all you've done for her. I know it couldn't have been easy."

Marissa sighed. "No, it hasn't. But I had help, too. Kunsel was there with me a lot of the time. He and Jessie… they were involved once, you see. They were gonna get married, but then…"

I blinked. "Really? Oh, that's right. I remember now, it was all over the news back then. Jessie Jae's engagement. She was so heartbroken at the time I first met her—that probably wasn't long after she came down to the slums. She told me a little about it, but never who her man was. I only knew that she'd had to leave him."

"Is she… still in love with him?" Marissa wondered.

At first, I didn't know why it mattered to her. But after a moment's thought, I understood. "No. It took her a long time, but she eventually let him go. I think it's been about six months now since she told me she had finally put it behind her, that she had to keep moving forward. She felt he would have wanted her to do that."

Marissa nodded. "He would. As much as he loved Jessie, he'd want her to be happy. Not clinging endlessly to the faint hope that she might be with him again someday. Still, what you said, Tifa… it surprised me. I wasn't expecting to actually hear it."

"You like him, don't you?" I said. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah… I really do," she blushed.

I smiled. "Does he know?"

She shook her head. "No. I haven't wanted to say anything about it in case he's still interested in her. I've been too scared to ask him. And I don't know which answer I'd want if I did."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If he is, then I can't tell him how I feel," she replied. "But if he isn't, it leaves me with a tough choice. Even knowing Jessie's moved on, I still don't want to share my feelings with Kunsel without talking to her first. He was very special to her, you know."

I did. "I think I understand. She was in a similar situation with me not too long ago. You see, Cloud and I have known each other since we were kids, and I always liked him. But when he and Jessie met a couple months ago, she totally fell for him."

"Oh, Jessie and Cloud are…?" Marissa giggled.

"Yep!" I answered. "Jessie came to me first before she actually tried to move things along, although she'd been flirting with him relentlessly ever since they met. It was pretty cute, actually."

She laughed. "I'm not surprised. Kunsel's a SOLDIER, too."

"Anyway, I gave Jessie the green light and encouraged her to go for it and be with Cloud. And I'm sure once you talk with her, she'll do the same for you and Kunsel. Don't you think?"

"I guess we'll find out," Marissa chuckled.

Suddenly, Barret lifted his hand, motioning for us to stop. We were about a third of the way down the highway, near the first of what were probably several sunken sections of the ruined road. I immediately felt the stillness in the air and brought up my fists, eying the shadows. The drop to the bottom of the ravine was at least thirty feet, and I kept well away from the edge. So did the others.

"Careful, guys," Barret said. "Company's comin'."

Wedge hefted his rifle and listened. "Sounds like eaters…"

"Could be," I agreed.

It was. They suddenly swarmed into view from behind mounds of rubble laying on either side of the ruined expressway. There were over two dozen of them scuttling toward us, their round maws gaping wide. Barret and Wedge opened fire a moment later, tearing into the bugs as Lena and I sprang into action, fists and feet flying. Marissa froze in the midst of it all, her eyes wide.

I backhanded an eater that got too close to her, knocking it away in a single swift punch before sending another one flying with a spinning roundhouse kick. Barret shot eaters apart one after another while Lena pummeled two more and Wedge scorched a swarm of them with a shot of his flamethrower. They squealed and screeched but kept on coming, another wave following the first.

"Gotta be a nest around here!" Wedge yelled.

Barret grunted. "An' we walked right the hell into it. Knew it wasn't gonna be an easy trip back."

I crushed another eater. "Can you take it out?"

"Shit! Who ya think you're talkin' to, girl?" he grinned.

"Right…" I rolled my eyes and laughed.

Wedge shot down another eater, took a few grenades from his belt, and tossed them over to Lena. "Here! Go with Barret, I'll stay with Tifa and Marissa and keep these guys busy."

Lena caught them easily. "I'm on it! Be careful!"

Then she sprinted after Barret, racing with him toward the nearest pile of rubble and disappearing out of sight behind it while Wedge and I fought the eaters out here. Marissa tried to stay close like I'd told her, but the bugs quickly swept in between us, cutting her off from me. She shrieked as two of them closed in on her.

With a growl, I knocked aside the eaters in my way, then jumped. I came down hard, slamming my feet into one of the bugs assaulting her. The diving kicks crushed its back as I grabbed the other one, leaped up again, and drove it headfirst into the concrete. But by then, a third bug was already springing at her, its whiplike tail slashing across her arm as she frantically stumbled away from it.

Just then, I heard gunfire from behind the rubble. Barret and Lena had found the nest. Wedge was spraying eaters with wide sweeps of fire as I fought to reach Marissa. More eaters sprang at me, but as soon as I beat them down and knocked them away, others took their place. And then Lena came running back out a moment later, Barret right behind her with his gun-arm blasting bugs left and right.

"Hit the deck!" Lena yelled.

She, Barret, and Wedge all dove to the ground, but I sprang toward Marissa, who was still beset by that eater. She had her arms up in front of her, trying to ward off its blows, and hadn't heard Lena's warning. As I punched another bug away, there was suddenly an eruption of sound and thunder as the grenades exploded behind the rubble.

The blast shook the whole area as flames shot up to the ceiling and onto the road. It incinerated the nearest cluster of eaters, and the force of it threw me to the ground. Both Marissa and the eater attacking her were hurled backward to the road's edge. I looked up just in time to see them tumbling helplessly over it.

I sprang to my feet in an instant. "Marissa!"

As the dust settled, I ran over to the edge, my heart pounding. She was hanging precariously over the drop, barely holding onto the jagged concrete with one hand. The eater hadn't been so lucky, and it lay dead in a broken mess at the bottom of the ravine.

"Gimme your hand!" I told her.

Marissa did as I told her, reaching up with her other hand. I took it in both of mine and pulled her safely back onto the road as Barret and the others cleared out the few eaters that were left before hurrying over to join us. Marissa and I just sat there together for a moment, catching our breath. Aside from the scratches on her arms, she seemed more or less alright. Still, it had been a close call.

"You okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. You saved my life, Tifa. Thank you."

I smiled as I wrapped my arm around her. "I promised I'd look out for you, remember? Besides, you know Jessie would kill me if I ever let anything happen to one of her best friends."

"Oh, I know she would!" Marissa grinned.

We laughed, sitting there on the broken asphalt, and it felt good to do it. That even with all that had happened with Sector 7's collapse and so much pain and loss, we could still go on. We had to, for ourselves as well as for Jessie, Aerith, and everyone else.

After we got back to our feet, Marissa and I set about tending to all the minor injuries everyone had gotten, herself included. Between her first aid kit, potions, and my materia, we got us all patched up in only a few minutes. After returning her things to her backpack and slipping it on, Marissa rubbed her arm for a moment where her cuts were already healing. Then she sighed and looked at us.

"Where I come from, people think they have it rough if they're late for a meeting or their coffee's cold," she said. "I used to be that way, too. A long time ago. Being a decoy for Jessie helped open my eyes a bit, but even so… this was different."

"Are you alright?" Wedge asked.

Marissa nodded. "Yeah. It's just my first time in the slums. I'm still getting used to it, I guess."

Barret patted her shoulder. "You doin' fine."

"Thanks," she said. "The people up there, on the plate… they don't know what rough is. They really don't."

"Not a clue," he agreed.

Once we were ready, we got underway again. We found a red metal ladder nearby that went all the way to the bottom of the ravine. Aerith and Cloud must've gotten it unlocked and extended while on their way to Wall Market earlier. Two huge robotic arms stood abandoned off to one side of the ravine, and another ladder rose up the far wall to where the next stretch of highway began.

Using the ladders, we carefully made our way down the old ruined expressway, our eyes and ears alert for trouble. We ran into a few more groups of monsters on the way, but none as large or troublesome as the pack of eaters that had greeted us on our arrival. Marissa relaxed as we went on, staying near me and taking care of any minor injuries we got, and I felt like she was starting to fit in. She might not have been able to fight, but she was still able to help out.

As we continued on, I thought of Cloud and his own journey back to Sector 5. He was taking the longer and presumably safer route, but if our experience with the eaters had shown me anything, it was that here in the slums, nothing was certain. I hoped his and Jessie's trip would be quiet and uneventful, and with them riding on the motorcycle, I knew it should've been. But I still worried for them, especially with how hurt and vulnerable Jessie still was. Cloud would do everything he could to protect her. I just hoped it would be enough.

* * *

"How are you holding up?" I asked.

Jessie didn't respond. I knew she wouldn't, though. As I drove, her head still drooped down like a wilting flower, her jaw almost touching her chest. I didn't know why, but I had started to talk to her, just a little here and there. Could she hear me? I wasn't sure. But something in the back of my mind told me that, whether she could or not, she might still know. That I might've been in that situation myself before. But I hadn't, at least not that I could remember.

Suddenly, pain flared up in the side of my head again. I winced but didn't lose control of the Gust. Images flew through my mind in a blur, vague impressions of laying somewhere in a barren, rocky canyon. Left there, maybe? Or hidden? Reaching out toward something or someone moving away from me, dark against the afternoon sky. I couldn't make out who or what it was, but I did feel it wasn't dangerous. Not to me, at least. It was strong but friendly, even protective.

And then, as quickly as they'd come, both the pain and the images were gone, and I was in the world again. The acrid mako smell hung in the air and stung my nose as I kept driving, my left hand over Jessie's as I held her securely in front of me. My right was on the handlebar, and I kept my eyes on the dirt road, unsure of what the images I'd seen were or what they meant. I decided I'd worry about them later. Jessie was my priority, and I shifted my attention back to her.

I smirked. "You know, when I promised you a bike ride, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. We'll take a real one after you've recovered, though. A nice long drive, just you and me."

When Jessie and I had recovered the bomb that we'd hidden in the Sector 4 underplate just before the Reactor 5 mission, we had shared a quiet, tender moment together, making plans to go out after returning home. But thanks to Shinra and the plate collapse, our little outing had been postponed. I hadn't forgotten it, though.

"So, any idea where you wanna go?" I asked. The light breeze from the bike's acceleration tossed our hair a little. "That's okay. I'm not sure, either. Maybe we'll just see what's out there."

Our old secret place was gone, lost when the plate had fallen, but I thought we could find a new one. If we did, another picnic like the one we'd shared the day we had finished the Hardy wouldn't be a bad idea. I just wanted to spend some time with her and hear her voice again. And I missed her smile, her laughter.

"Jessie…" I murmured, pressing her lightly against me, "you're part of my world now. A really important part. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but… I'm glad it did. So you'd better come back to me. And no matter what, we're in this together, right?"

She kept silent, her breath just the faintest ghost of a whisper, but I knew she'd agree with me. Somehow, she'd find her way back. She was a survivor—had to have been in order to have stayed ahead of her father for so long—and I knew she'd make it. We had overcome fate itself, and even after she'd been torn from me in the pillar, I had found her again. I wasn't going to lose her. Not now. Not ever.

Just then, I spotted five motorcycles driving down the road toward me. Shinra troops. What the hell were they doing here? I narrowed my eyes as they caught sight of me and sped up, rifles ready in their hands. I couldn't fight, not right now—Jessie would fall off the Gust if I didn't hold onto her. So I raced right at them instead, gunning the engine as I kept her close with my other arm.

"Hang on, Jessie," I told her. "It's about to get bumpy."

The leader aimed his gun at me. "Surrender now! We know you're one of those Avalanche terrorists!"

"Go to hell!" I snarled.

"You first!" he yelled. "We've got orders to take you all down!"

I sneered. "Try it, asshole."

Looked like Shinra wasn't taking any chances. They must've at least suspected that we'd survive the plate collapse. And these guys had been sent down here to finish the job. I intended to see that they didn't. And that they never reported back in. It would make rescuing Aerith harder if Shinra knew we were still alive.

I hit the boosters, and we shot right through the group of soldiers, closing the gap before they could fire. As I sped past them, I saw in the rearview mirrors that they were swearing and turning around to chase after me. Good. We weren't far from the scrapyard now, the one Aerith and I had run through earlier on the way to her house, and I found the beginnings of a plan forming in my mind.

The air suddenly erupted with the sound of gunfire as the soldiers started shooting, but I held Jessie tight and kept our heads down as we stayed well ahead of them, and none of their shots hit. We went around one curve after another as the road twisted and wound its way through the slums. The troops kept up nicely.

Less than five minutes later, the scrapyard came into view. It was a large, enclosed area full of junk and abandoned construction materials and equipment. One was a large yellow crane with a thick arm that was a lot longer than the cab itself and was raised up at a steep angle. Just as I remembered. I also saw a wide trench cutting across the ground right in my path as we got closer to the scrapyard, and the crane was parked on the far side near the edge.

"Now it gets interesting," I told Jessie. "Hold on!"

Hitting the boosters again, I drove the Gust straight for the trench, and just a moment later, we flew over the gap in one breathless instant before thumping down on the other side. I spun the bike around just in time to see the five Shinra soldiers all pull up side by side at the edge of the scrapyard, engines revving.

"Wait a minute…" the captain said. "That girl…"

"What about her?" I demanded.

He flashed me an icy smile. "That's the general's daughter, isn't it? I bet he'll be surprised to find out she survived."

I frowned. "Not happening."

As we stared each other down, I touched my feet to the ground on either side of the Gust and slowly let go of the handlebar, my eyes fixed on the Shinra captain. It seemed Heidegger had briefed at least some of his officers about Jessie and who she was once he'd discovered that she was in Avalanche. But for now, anyway, he didn't seem to know she was still alive. And I intended to keep it that way.

"Hand her over!" the captain snarled.

I glared at him. "You want her? Come and get her!"

Just as I'd expected, the captain and his men sped toward me. And as they did, I lifted my arm and focused on my materia. Just as they all started to jump across the trench, I let loose with a sizzling blue bolt of lightning. But at the crane, not at the soldiers. Electricity shot into it in an instant, blowing apart the supports under the arm and causing it to swing and fall right across the soldiers' path.

They all screamed and crashed into it in midair as I spun the Gust away from the resulting explosion. I wrapped my arms around Jessie to shield her as thunder erupted in my ears and debris flew everywhere in a haze of fire and smoke. There was a crunching of metal as the wrecks of the Shinra bikes and their riders fell into the trench, and I glanced at the burning crane arm for a moment.

"We got 'em, Jessie," I said. "Nailed the bastards."

She sat limply in front of me, still cool to the touch, and I sighed as I checked her pulse for a moment. It was faint and weak, fluttering like a wounded butterfly. Jessie was still with me, but she was falling farther and farther away by the second. All that current pouring into her from Heidegger's trap must've torn her apart inside.

Not to mention the damage she'd sustained from the blast and the fall. It was a miracle she was still alive. And I was going to see to it that she stayed that way. As I held her, I gripped the Gust's handlebar again and got us moving. We weren't far from Aerith's house now, but I knew as we sped toward the Sector 5 undercity that time was short. And that Jessie's was running out. I leaned close to her.

"Don't you even think about giving up on me," I said. "We've come too far together. So you're gonna make it, you hear? You're gonna live. I won't let you die. I'm gonna save you."

Gunning the engine, I raced back to Aerith's house.


	7. SIX

## SIX

I pulled up at the house less than ten minutes later and parked the Gust alongside the Hardy. Then, holding onto Jessie, I carefully got off the bike and took her in my arms. The door opened almost as soon as I reached it, and Elmyra ushered me inside.

"Good, you found her," she said. "I'm glad. Go ahead and bring her upstairs, Cloud. Marlene's asleep in Aerith's bed, so take your friend to the guest room. I've got it all ready for her."

Hurrying across the room, I carried Jessie upstairs and took her to the same bedroom I had slept in earlier. Elmyra followed me, and I saw she'd been busy. The bed was all neat, with the blankets pulled aside so I could lay Jessie right into it. Stacks of towels and bandages stood in a row on the dresser along with a set of clean clothes.

"Let's go ahead and get her boots off," Elmyra suggested. "She'll be more comfortable that way. I'll get her changed later once I've gotten a good look at her and seen to her injuries."

That made sense to me, so after gently setting Jessie onto the bed, I helped unfasten her ruined shin guards and take them off. Between me and Elmyra, we got them and the boots off and set them off to the side in one corner of the room. Then we carefully covered Jessie up and left her arms laying on top of the blankets, the right one still in the ragged sling I'd made for her in the pillar.

Elmyra turned to me. "Alright, we've got her settled in. Now I need you to hurry over to the clinic and pick up a few things for me. I made a list while you were gone."

"What sort of things?" I wondered.

"Medical supplies, that sort of thing," she explained. "Certain items and equipment. I'll need them to help your friend."

I nodded. "You'll have them."

Elmyra turned toward the door. "Then let's go downstairs. The list is right on the table."

I followed her into the hall and back to the first floor. There was, as she'd said, a sheet of plain paper laying flat on the round table. I picked it up and scanned the handwritten list. There was a lot there, probably more than I could take in a single trip. But I'd get it back here as fast as I could, one way or another.

"Just ask for Dr. Morris," Elmyra said. "He's an old friend, and he'll get you set up. I've worked with him for years, and Aerith often brings him herbs to help treat his patients."

I put the list in my pocket. "Got it. I'll be—"

Just then, the front door opened and the others hurried inside, Tifa at the head of the pack. I sighed in relief when I saw her and the rest of my friends, glad they'd made it back safely. And then I knew how I was going to get all the supplies and equipment here from the clinic in one trip. The answer was right in front of me.

"Cloud, you're here!" Tifa said. "I was worried about you."

I walked over to her. "Good to see you, too."

"Jessie upstairs?" Barret asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "Just got her settled in a few minutes ago. She's still with us, but… she's getting weaker."

Wedge blinked. "What do we do, Cloud?"

"We're gonna go to the clinic and pick up the stuff Elmyra needs to help her. I've got the list, so let's get to it."

"You heard him!" Barret told the others. "Move out!"

The clinic was just a short ways down the road and across from the Leaf House. It was the same one we'd met Marissa at earlier, and we all hurried inside. It was, just as she'd told us, packed with wounded from the plate collapse, sitting or standing wherever they could. Nurses and a few doctors went back and forth between them, tending to who they could and slipped into the few patient rooms the place had to check on the injured who were in them.

I thought I recognized a few of the people in here from some of the odd jobs I'd done around town when I wasn't out on patrol with Wedge or traveling across the slums with Jessie, and I nodded to them. Didn't know what else to do, but I didn't want to ignore them, either. Tifa and Barret talked with some of them, having lived in Sector 7 longer than I had and knowing the residents better.

"Mom?" Wedge suddenly hurried over to an older woman and put his arms around her. "There you are!"

She hugged him back. "Wedge, you're alright!"

He let of her as we walked over. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a few bumps, but nothing serious. Wymer told me he'd sent you and Dad ahead after the evacuation, so I wasn't worried. But I'm still glad to see you. Is Dad here, too? And what about Kyle?"

"Your father's here, probably talking to one of the nurses to try and get us seen. We got a bit scuffed up on the way here—all that jostling in the crowd, you know. As for your brother, he's on his way back to Wall Market again. I think he wants to try and forget what he saw at home. I can't say as I blame him, but…"

"I know," Wedge sighed. "Me either."

His mom nodded. "Can you stay a while and visit?"

He shook his head. "Wish I could, but Jessie's hurt really bad, and I need to help my friends get some equipment and stuff from here so we can save her. We'll come back and see you when we can, though. In the meantime, tell Dad I said hi, okay?"

"Of course," she smiled. "Do what you need to do, Wedge."

After giving her another hug, he quickly rejoined us as Lena waved to her for a moment. Then we moved on, finding Dr. Morris a moment later. After I had shown him Elmyra's list and explained the situation to him, he led us to a storeroom in the back. Then we got started, putting supplies on a cart and either carrying what wouldn't fit on it or—in the case of one of those tall, narrow racks that bags of medicine were hung from—wheeled it along. Some other pieces of equipment were surgical tools, which I realized would be needed for getting those bullets out of Jessie's arm and shoulder, among other things.

Once we had everything together, we took it back to Aerith's house as fast as we could. Elmyra had us bring everything upstairs, some out in the hall until she could get to it while we put the rest inside the guest room where Jessie was. Tifa gently stroked her hair for a moment after putting down the items she was carrying.

"Hold on, Jessie," she murmured. "You're gonna be alright."

Barret took Jessie's hand. "Stay with us, girl."

When we were finished, Elmyra turned to us. "Alright, I've got all I need. Thank you for your help."

"No problem," Barret said. "So what now?"

Elmyra went on. "Go on downstairs and wait. This is going to take a while. Could be hours. So please make yourselves comfortable. If you want to look in on Marlene, Barret, she's asleep in the next room. Don't wake her, though. She needs her rest."

He smiled. "That she does. Thank you."

"Can I stay and help?" Marissa asked. "I'm a volunteer medic back on the plate, and Jessie's an old friend."

Elmyra nodded. "Of course. I could use an extra set of hands. This is going to be delicate work, and your experience is most welcome. We had better get started, though. As for the rest of you, go on downstairs. We'll join you when we're finished."

With a last glance at Jessie, I led the others out into the hall. Barret immediately went to Aerith's room to check on Marlene with Tifa right behind him, and when they came back out, we all headed quietly back to the first floor. The stillness in the small house was almost palpable. I leaned against the wall and folded my arms in front of me, thinking of Jessie. Elmyra and Marissa would do everything in their power to save her. All we could do now was wait.

Tifa sighed. "This is the hardest part. The waiting…"

"I hear ya," Barret agreed.

"I hope Jessie'll be okay," Wedge said.

Lena sank into one of the chairs at the table, her face flushed and a little green. "She will, Wedge. Don't… don't worry."

"You alright?" I asked.

"Just a little dizzy," she said. "Dunno if… the others told you, but… the mako fumes, they… they really get to me sometimes. Been fighting it all night, ever since… getting to Sector 7. But I guess… it's starting to catch up to me now. Just my luck…"

Tifa laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you need anything?"

Lena gave her a weak smile. "I'll be okay. Just need to rest for a bit. Head's been… hurting for a while now, but… I did my best to ignore it. And my stomach, it… uh, oh… I think—"

Suddenly she lurched to feet, rushed into the bathroom, and threw up. It went on for a minute or two as Wedge went over to the door and waited for her, worry on his round face. Lena came back out a moment later, her steps wobbly and uncertain. He slid an arm around her as he guided her across the room and helped her lay down on a small brown sofa sitting comfortably along one wall.

Wedge sat on the edge and held her hand. "How's that?"

"Better, thanks," she told him. Then she gazed apologetically at us. "Sorry, guys. Bad timing, I know. Even after I get away from the fumes, I still feel sick for a while. I… I wanted to help you save Aerith, but… I guess I'm not in any shape to do that, huh?"

"It's awright," Barret said. "You jus' rest now. You earned it."

"You did great, Lena," Tifa agreed.

She grinned. "Thanks. Raise some hell for me?"

I nodded. "Will do."

"Glad to hear it, Cloud," she said. Then she looked at Wedge. "You should go see Biggs and let him know what's going on."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Lena gently squeezed his hand. "Yeah. I'll be fine. Elmyra said that it could be hours before they're done with Jessie. Plenty of time for you to visit Biggs. Knowing him, he's probably already worst-casing it over her. Better go set his mind at ease."

"Alright," Wedge leaned in and kissed her. "Be back soon."

Tifa met him at the door. "Mind if I join you?"

He smiled. "Not at all, Tifa. Let's go."

Then they were gone, and it was just the three of us. A clock ticked softly nearby. I hadn't moved. Barret sat at the table. Lena rested on the sofa. Time slowed to a crawl. Jessie was on all our minds, but we didn't say much. There didn't seem to be a need.

After a while, Tifa and Wedge came back. Wedge went to see Lena and sat on the floor by the small sofa while Tifa leaned against the wall next to me, her eyes on the floor. The minutes dragged on, one by one, and quiet hung over the room like a blanket. An hour became two, and then three. And four. And the waiting went on.

Finally, after almost five hours, Elmyra and Marissa walked slowly down the stairs, their steps heavy. We all looked up, Tifa hurrying over to see them as I straightened up and let my arms drop to my sides. My heart hammered in my chest as I watched the two women, seeing then the truth in their eyes. Seeing it and hating it.

Barret stood up. "What's the news? How's Jessie?"

"She…" Marissa couldn't hide her tears. "She's dying. We were able to take out the bullets and… see to the burns and other injuries on the outside, but she… she's suffered so much trauma to her system… there isn't anything that… that we can do…"

Elmyra sighed. "I'm so sorry. I really am…"

Tifa fell more than sat on the nearest chair, her own eyes filling up, streaks of wetness sliding down her cheeks. "Jessie…"

"No…" Wedge choked.

Lena cried. "After all we did… after… after finding her…"

"Goddamn it!" Barret growled.

"How… how long?" Tifa breathed.

Elmyra sat with her. "A day, two at the most."

For a moment, I just stood there, unable to find any words. I felt as if my world had just been pulled out from under me. How could things be so cruel? We had gone back to Sector 7 and had found Jessie against all odds. And then I'd brought her safely back here after Shinra's forces had tried to take her away from me.

I clenched my fist. "I'm not losing her…"

Anger filled my blood. I wasn't going to accept this. I couldn't. Not after all we'd gone through to get her here, after Jessie and I had beaten fate together. There had to be a way to save her. There just had to be. It was out there somewhere. Something that I'd overlooked or forgotten. I just had to remember what it was. I _had_ to.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"She's not gonna die!" I insisted. "I—"

I froze, cutting myself off as a memory burst into my mind. Aerith and I at the Honeybee Inn, talking in that spa room she'd later reserved for me and Jessie. And as I remembered our conversation and where it had gone, I knew exactly what to do.

" _I know a few tricks for healing bumps and bruises, and some things that go deeper," Aerith said. "Remember me telling you how I took care of Jessie after she fought that hell house?"_

" _She was in pretty bad shape, wasn't she?" I asked._

_She nodded, sighing. "Very bad. She'd have died if I hadn't found her and Maddy when I did. Took more than a healing wind to keep her with us. Though I did use a few of those as well when I could."_

_I stopped halfway to the fountain and stared at her. "More? Just how strong a healer are you, Aerith?"_

" _Strong enough," she said. "Tires me out, though."_

Barret blinked. "What is it, Cloud? You onta somethin', I can see it. Never seen ya so on fire before!"

"Aerith!" I exclaimed.

"What about her?" Tifa wondered.

I looked at everyone. "She's an Ancient, remember? You've all seen how she can heal. She saved Jessie once, years ago. Wasn't long after she left the plate—Aerith told me about it in Wall Market. Jessie had nearly died saving some kids from a hell house. She would've, too, but Aerith found her just in time and healed her."

"If anyone can save your friend, it's Aerith," Elmyra agreed. "She's a far stronger healer than she lets on. Maybe even more than she knows. You're right, Cloud. Aerith is Jessie's only hope."

I nodded. "One more reason to get her back. Today."

"Hell yeah!" Tifa shot to her feet.

"You a goddamn genius, Cloud!" Barret grinned, pumping his fist. "Let's go bust Aerith outta that shithole! Then we'll bring her back here double time so she can save Jessie."

Marissa's face lit up. "That just might work! But you can't rush into Shinra Headquarters without a plan. That place is like a fortress. I used to work there, and so did Jessie, remember?"

"She's right," I told the others. "And we'll also need to get some rest before we go or we won't be any good to either Aerith or Jessie. I know time's short, but we can't go in unprepared."

"You can all rest here tonight," Elmyra said, standing up. "And that includes you, Lena. I can see you're ill. Wedge, there are blankets in the closet, if you wouldn't mind getting her one."

He got right up. "Not at all, Missus G! Thanks!"

"Thank you," Lena told her.

"We still need to come up with a plan to save Aerith," Tifa said. "As worried as I am for Jessie, I'd go crazy if I stayed here. She's like a sister to me. I've got to help her. Aerith, too."

I nodded. "Then let's get to it."

Barret glanced over at Marissa while he, Tifa, and I all sat down at the table. "Know anythin' that might help? You was in that place, right? An' so was Jessie. For years, I'm guessin'."

"Yeah, I was," she answered, kneeling next to Lena and looking her over while Wedge covered her with a soft blanket. "And there might be a way you can sneak in. There's an emergency stairwell that goes all the way up to the 59th floor."

"Damn…" Barret blinked. "That's a _lotta_ stairs…"

Marissa chuckled. "It's a long climb, but you'll have a better chance of getting in that way. Jessie used it to escape when she quit Shinra. She told me about it later—I'd already been gone for a while by then. You'll need to find keycards to get to the higher floors."

I'd figured as much. "Thanks, Marissa. Anything else?"

"Actually, yeah. The security office is on the 67th floor, so that's got to be where they're holding Aerith. There's a whole cell block up there. But there's someplace else you should go to first."

"Where's that?" Tifa asked.

Marissa went on. "Materials Storage. It's on the 63rd floor. Jessie hid something there once, a long time ago. Something she found but never got a chance to use or go back for later on—a star pendant. It'll protect whoever wears it from any kind of poison."

I stared at her. "You think it's still there?"

"Oughta be," she nodded. "Jessie slipped it inside an air duct in the main control room—you'll know it when you see it. Goes from floor to ceiling and you can step right into it."

"We'll pick it up, then," I promised. "Should be useful."

Marissa gazed intently at us. "You'll need it, believe me. Jessie went up to the security office one day—well, snuck up, really—to dig around and try to uncover the truth behind the massacre at Reactor 3. But she also took a quick peek at the Science Division while she was there—it's on the same floor. And I'll never forget what she saw."

"What was it?" Barret wondered.

"Monsters," she shivered. "Poisonous ones. Some small, but others bigger. One of them was huge, and Jessie overheard the lab techs saying something about its breath being highly toxic."

He swore. "Goddamn Shinra! Makin' monsters? As if them friggin' assholes wasn't bad enough."

I looked at Marissa. "I see where you're going. We'll probably have to fight these things to rescue Aerith, and our chances of success'll be a lot better if one of us is wearing Jessie's star pendant. We've also still got some of those antidotes Biggs gave us in the Sector 4 underplate. We'll use them too if we have to."

"How do we get to the Shinra Building, though?" Tifa asked. "The trains aren't running, and security's sure to be watching the Corkscrew Tunnel pretty closely. So we can't go in there. And then, if we do find a way, how do we get back to the slums?"

I sighed. "I don't know…"

Marissa snapped her finger. "Jessie's taken care of that, too! At least the second half. She told me that when she left the plate, she didn't ride a train down to the slums because her father was having them watched. So a friend helped her find another way."

"What was it?" I asked.

"There's an old cargo elevator at the end of the elevated highway in Sector 5,'' she answered. "It's abandoned now, but it still works. Goes all the way to the ground. Shinra used it for moving heavy materials while they were still building that area."

Tifa gasped. "That's it!"

"Exactly! Jessie rode it down here the night she left the plate. You'll need a keycard to unlock the outer door and get inside the slums, but I can give you mine. They're different from the ones that are used in the Shinra Building and can open any of Midgar's exit gates here or on the plate. Not many people have them."

"Thanks," I said. "But what about getting there?"

Tifa grimaced. "It's back to Wall Market for that, I guess. We'll have to see what we can find."

I nodded. "Good idea. Looks like we've got a plan."

"Sure do," Barret agreed. "Thanks to Jessie."

"She's still helping us, even now," Tifa murmured. "Even hurt as she is. Jessie's not giving up."

I felt the same way. "Neither are we."

"How do we get out to the enda the highway, though?" Barret said. "It's way too far to walk."

"I think I can help with that," Marissa replied.

He blinked. "How?"

"Just a minute and I'll explain," she answered, reaching into her kit. "I want to finish up with Lena first."

"Can you help her?" Wedge wondered.

Marissa smiled. "I think so. Acute mako sensitivity, right?"

"Yeah," Lena said. "How'd you know?"

"My husband had something similar. He was the supervisor over at Reactor 3 before… the massacre."

Tifa's eyes held nothing but sympathy. "I'm sorry…"

"Thank you," Marissa said.

"I heard 'bout that," Barret grimaced. "Happened not too long after I first came to this town. Goddamn nightmare that was. Real sorry you got caught up in it, Marissa."

She nodded gratefully. "I appreciate it. He was a good man. We had ten wonderful years together. I didn't know about his sickness for most of that time—he didn't want me to worry, so he always hid it or tried to explain it away. But it wasn't so different from what Lena has. And I've got an idea about how we can help her."

"Really?" Wedge's eyes lit up.

"Yeah," Marissa said. "You see, Shinra does have a medicine they've developed that can help treat it, but it's very expensive. Part of why the Reactor 3 massacre happened was because Shinra would rather ignore the terrible working conditions in those places and the health risks that go with them than make the drug cheaper and easier to get. Insurance doesn't cover it either, for the same reason."

Tifa stared. "That's terrible!"

"Damn Shinra bastards…" Barret muttered.

"So how do we help Lena?" I asked.

Marissa went on. "The drug's made in the Science Division—gotta be, since that's where Shinra does all its medical and scientific research. It's called thorastazine, and if you guys can 'borrow' a few bottles while you're in there rescuing Aerith, I should be able to get Lena's treatment started as soon as you get back here."

Barret grinned. "Oh, I think we can do that."

"We'll bring back as many as we can," Tifa promised.

"Thanks, guys!" Lena gushed. "I'd give you all a great big hug right now if I could. You really are the best."

Barret laughed. "Ain't no problem. You parta the family."

I nodded. "Yeah. Marissa, you said you could help us with getting out of the Shinra Building?"

"Right, one moment," she said. "Here, Lena. Take this."

Marissa took a small pill bottle from her kit, opened it, and handed Lena a slim caplet. After Wedge had helped her sit up for a minute and Elmyra had brought her a glass of water, she swallowed the pill, washed it down with the drink, and then settled back onto the couch as Wedge held her hand and sat on the floor by the sofa.

Lena's short, dark hair was damp as it lay around her on the pillow. "Thanks, Marissa. What was that?"

"Just a little something to settle your stomach and take the edge off the pain in your head and chest," she explained, putting her first aid kit away. "It'll help you sleep, too."

After patting her gently on the shoulder, Marissa stood up, walked over to the table, and joined us. I gazed at Lena for a moment, worried about her. I remembered then how she had been sick for over a month when I had first come to Midgar so many weeks ago. I hadn't even met Biggs until just before the Reactor 1 mission because he'd been away to look after her. I felt like I understood what she was going through, and although I didn't know why I was able to relate to her, it was important to me to get her that medicine. I would see to it.

Barret looked at Marissa. "So, 'bout our escape plan?"

"Right," she said. "Here's my idea. You'll need two vehicles—there's a good chance that Shinra's forces'll be right on your tail as soon as you get on the road, and you may have to fight your way to the end. I doubt they'll make it easy to get away."

"No kidding," I agreed. "They'll dog us the whole way."

Marissa smirked. "Which is why you should be driving the Hardy, Cloud. I saw it outside, and it's perfect! You can fight off Shinra's troops and keep them away from the others."

Barret scratched his chin. "An' what'll we be ridin'?"

"Shinra keeps a bunch of new vehicles on display on the first three floors of the building," she explained. "The keys are kept in an office on the third floor. Jessie and I still have friends on the inside, and I can let them know that you're coming."

"Who are they?" Tifa wondered.

Marissa shook her head. "Sorry, we keep that quiet. Their ability to fight Shinra from within would be compromised if they were exposed. Let's just say they're _very_ high up in the company. And they have access to the keys, so they can easily grab a set and conveniently leave them in the ignition of one of the cars for you."

Tifa nodded. "I guess that makes sense…"

"Don't worry, you'll meet some of them once you get high enough in the building. As for the Hardy, if you don't mind, Cloud, I can drive it up to the plate through the Corkscrew Tunnel and have my contacts inside move it to the main showroom on the third floor where you can find it. Then it'll be all ready for you."

"Sure," I told her. "But how are you gonna get back here?"

She blinked. "Oh. Didn't think about that…"

Tifa leaned forward. "How about this? I'll ride the Hardy up to the plate instead, and you can drive alongside me on the Gust, Marissa. In the meantime, Cloud and Barret can go to Wall Market and find a way up to the plate from there. We'll meet across from the Shinra Building. That sound like a plan, guys?"

"An' a half," Barret said. "But ain't the tunnel too risky?"

Marissa shrugged. "Shinra's not looking for me, but I don't know if Tifa's on their radar or not."

Tifa didn't waver. "I'm going. For Aerith and Jessie."

"Aerith and Jessie," I agreed.

"Aerith an' Jessie," Barret echoed, holding out his good hand.

Marissa put hers on top of it. "Aerith and Jessie."

Tifa followed suit, laying her hand on top of theirs, and then with a determined nod, I covered hers with mine. We all sat there at the table, our hands joined and our hearts resolved. We knew what we had to do and what was at stake—Jessie's life and Aerith's freedom. And we were going to save them both, no matter what it took.

Jessie's survival depended on Aerith's healing abilities, and Aerith's rescue depended on what Jessie had known and done when she was at Shinra. They needed each other just as we needed them. As we looked at each other and Wedge gave us a thumbs up as he sat by Lena, I knew we'd succeed. We'd make our family whole again.


	8. SEVEN

## SEVEN

I glanced at Elmyra. "Can we see her?"

She nodded. "Of course. Jessie's still unconscious, but she may hear you if you talk to her. It can help. I think it might be best if you saw her one at a time, though. At least for now."

"Thanks," I told her. Then I turned to the others. "Awright. Mind if I go first? I… I got some things I need to tell Jessie before we leave. Jus' in case… hell, I don't even wanna thinka that…"

"I know," Cloud agreed. "It's fine."

Tifa smiled. "We understand, Barret. Go to her."

I stood up an' made my way toward the stairs. Lena was sleepin' on the little sofa now as Wedge sat on the floor with his back to it, holdin' her hand same as he'd been doin' ever since he laid her down there. We was gonna get her taken care of, too. That medicine she needed. Mako sensitivity had wound up killin' hers an' Biggs' mom, but we was gonna make damn sure it didn't happen to her.

Marissa called to me. "Barret?"

"Yeah?" I said. "What's on your mind?"

She looked at the three of us. "You guys think you could give some blood? Jessie's lost a lot from when she was shot and from the shrapnel that was stuck in her leg. Not to mention the rest of her injuries as well as the operation Elmyra and I did to treat them."

I held out my good arm. "Take as much as ya need."

"Same here," Cloud added.

"You can count on me," Tifa agreed.

Marissa chuckled. "Thanks, guys. A pint from each of you ought to be enough, at least for now."

Wedge gave her a thumbs up. "Me too, if you need it."

"I'll remember that, Wedge," she said.

Marissa an' I went upstairs then, headin' straight into Jessie's room. She was in there, layin' in bed, her eyes closed. Marissa an' Elmyra had gotten her changed outta her ruined clothes an' into a white nightgown that was probably Aerith's, an' her long auburn hair was spread out in a loose fan 'round her head an' over her shoulders.

Fresh gauze bandages was fitted neatly in place on Jessie's forehead, neck, cheek, an' lotsa other spots, an' her right arm was carefully bound up from shoulder to wrist an' wrapped in a clean sling. An IV ran from the back of her left hand to a slim plastic bag hangin' from the tall rack we'd brought up earlier, pumpin' medicine an' probably antibiotics into her system at a steady clip. Hooked up next to it was a monitor showin' Jessie's heart rate an' other vitals, beepin' in time with the spikes on the screen. It was slow, but it was still there.

"Hang on, girl…" I murmured. "We here for ya."

Marissa pointed to a cushioned chair next to the bed. "Have a seat, Barret. This won't take long."

I did. "Not too big on needles."

"You and most other people," she agreed as she put on a paira latex gloves. Then she took a needle an' swab offa the dresser an' unwrapped 'em. "You'll be fine. Ever done this before?"

"Been stuck, but never gave blood," I answered.

Marissa set up the bag. "It's not that hard. Just relax. It'll be over in less than ten minutes, and then I'll put the blood into Jessie. You might feel a little light-headed, but that's normal."

I nodded. "Let's get to it, then."

She got right to work, stickin' me on the inside of my left elbow, an' soon she had that bag fillin' up with blood. While we waited, we talked a little, mostly 'bout Jessie and how we'd each come to know her. It was interestin', learnin' 'bout who she'd once been. I'd never pictured her as the shy, nerdy office type, but that was Jessie in her Shinra days. Still as smart as a whip, though. A goddamn prodigy, no less. She'd earned her rank an' then some. I was impressed.

After a few minutes, Marissa took the needle out. "There, all done. Now let's get you a dressing. I've got a few different colors here—looks like the clinic had a good selection."

"Hmm…" I shrugged. "A dressin', huh?"

"Yeah. I'll tie it around your arm to hold the bandage in place," she explained. "You won't need it for long, though."

When I heard that, I had me an idea. "You got red?"

"Right here," Marissa picked one up.

"Tie it on, then," I told her.

She looked at Jessie an' smiled. "I see. Like her headband."

"Damn right," I grinned.

Marissa fastened the strip of red cloth in place 'round my elbow an' then got to work, hangin' the bag on the rack and settin' the controls to send the blood into Jessie through another line hooked up to the IV. It started flowin' soon enough, then Marissa left us alone, slippin' quietly inta the hall an' closin' the door softly behind us. When we was alone, I stood up an' gently took Jessie's hand, watchin' the IV as I gazed at her. I'd never seen her so quiet before, so hurt.

"Hey, girl," I said. "You holdin' up okay? I know your body wants to give out on ya, but you gotta stay strong now. This ain't gonna be your last dance, I can promise ya that. You got your whole life aheada ya, an' it ain't time for you to get offa this train yet."

I stopped for a minute, thinkin' 'bout the night Jessie an' I had first met at _Seventh Heaven._ She'd only been in Sector 7 for a month an' had already made her mark on the place, fixin' people's gadgets an' buildin' filters for everyone so we could all have nice fresh water for drinkin' an' washin'. I'd known she'd be a good fit for Avalanche from the moment I first heard 'bout how smart an' skilled she was.

Marlene had taken to Jessie right away, an' she'd always treated my little girl right, lookin' out for her, playin' with her, an' lettin' her watch sometimes while she worked. Sometimes I had jus' looked at the two of 'em sittin' at her computer in the basement, Marlene in Jessie's lap. An' I knew they had a bond all their own. As I stood there nexta her bed an' gazed at her, I couldn't help but wonder jus' how in the goddamn hell I coulda ever thought she'd mean us harm.

"Jessie…" I sighed. "I want ya to know, you did a damn fine job out there tonight. Fought like hell an' showed me jus' as clear as day where your heart is. You put it all on the line, didn't back away for a second. I ain't gonna forget that. Not ever."

I went on. "I also wanna tell ya that… I'm sorry. Never shoulda put you through all the hell that I did. I shoulda trusted ya, Jessie. Shoulda believed ya. You ain't never done us wrong."

"It's my fault you're hurt so bad now," I sniffed, my eyes gettin' wet. "My fault that you're… that you're dyin'. If I hadn't made ya go into that goddamn tower, you'd still be okay. So I'm makin' you a promise, Jessie. I got you inta this, an' I'm gonna get you out."

I held her hand for a moment, not knowin' what else ta say. Wasn't nothin' left, really. Then I sat back down an' jus' kept her company for a while. The only sound was the beepin' of the monitor an' her breathin', which was so faint I could barely hear it. Jessie still had a coupla purple an' black bruises here an' there, probably from gettin' banged up durin' the blast an' her fall from the platform. They'd heal up in time, though, long as she got it. An' I was gonna see that she did.

Eventually, I got up. "Well, Jessie… guess I oughta go get me some shut-eye now. So you jus' hang on an' keep fightin'. Tifa's gonna be here next, an' she'll stay up here with ya for a bit. An' then that spiky-haired boyfrienda yours'll take over. Guess he ain't so bad. But, uh… don't tell him I said that, awright? Thanks. Night, Jessie."

* * *

As I sat in the chair and Marissa drew some of my blood, I gazed at Jessie, laying so still and quiet in bed. Like Barret, I hadn't seen her like that very often—she was always so vibrant and full of life. The last time had been when she'd been struck across the head by the Vice gang that night about a month and a half ago.

Cloud had saved her from being killed and had gotten her back to the bar where I had treated her. She had recovered in a day or two, and it had been that incident which had driven Cloud and I to go after Vice and put an end to their attacks. And now, just like then, Jessie was hurt, but so much worse this time, and my friends and I were about to go on another dangerous mission to help her.

"I hate seeing her like this…" I murmured.

Marissa nodded. "So do I, Tifa. It's not like her at all. But we'll save her. I've heard about Aerith, you know. Just a little. Kunsel told me a bit about her—she was a friend of his and Jessie's during her acting days. I didn't know she was an Ancient, though."

"Neither did I at first," I said. "But I should've suspected it. I fought alongside Aerith on our way to Sector 7 and saw how strong her magic is. And I'm sure she'll do everything she can for Jessie. I just wish their reunion could've happened differently."

Marissa sighed. "I know what you mean. I'd have liked things to be better, too. But I'm just glad I can be here for her."

"Me too," I replied. "Thank you. For everything you've done."

"Happy to help," she smiled.

I returned the favor. "You said that Jessie worked under you, right? Back when you two were at Shinra?"

"That's right," Marissa said, carefully withdrawing the needle from my arm. "She started out as a systems engineer at sixteen. I knew right when I interviewed her that she was perfect for the job. Jessie has a real gift for that sort of thing, you know."

"We've noticed," I agreed.

She went on. "She was only eighteen when I made her my assistant. Extremely talented and a very hard worker. Wasn't hard for me to pick who'd take over for me when I left."

I wasn't surprised. "Jessie's still that way. One of the first things she did when she first came to Sector 7 was build filters to fix the water for everyone. For a fair price, of course."

"That's her, alright," Marissa chuckled. "So, what color?"

I looked at the dressings. "Red. Barret told me why when I saw his. And I think it's a great idea."

She grinned. "Jessie's lucky to have such good friends."

"We're lucky to have her," I replied.

After she had carefully tied the strip of bright red cloth around my left elbow, Marissa hung the blood-filled bag on the rack and tapped a few buttons on the panel to get it flowing into Jessie. She watched it for a moment to make sure it was running the way it should, then nodded in satisfaction before turning to me.

"That should do it," she said. "I'll go downstairs now. I'm sure that you'd like to have some time alone with her."

I did, very much. "Yeah. Thanks again, Marissa."

Marissa smiled. "You're welcome. Whenever you're done, just find me and I'll get Cloud set up for his turn."

Then she was gone, and I brought my attention back to Jessie. Her chest rose and fell ever so slightly with each whispered breath, but that was the only sign of life that she showed. Her skin was pale and still felt cool beneath my fingers as I gently brushed a few errant strands of hair from her face when I stood up.

"Hi, Jessie," I said. "It's Tifa. Your big sister. I don't know if you can hear me, but… I just want you to know I'm here. We're gonna save you, I promise. Shinra's got Aerith—they took her—but we're gonna get her back. Then she's gonna come and help you. So you just hang on and be strong, okay? Everything's gonna be fine."

Then I thought of something. "When Aerith, Cloud, and I were on our way back to Sector 7, we had to go through the sewers to get there. Aerith gave me an idea for something fun to do after we had saved our home. And even though things didn't turn out that way, I think I'd still like to follow through on her suggestion."

"The bar's gone, but we're all gonna build a new one. I know you'll want to help, too, Jessie. And when it's finished, it's gonna need a lot of new stuff—glasses, coasters, drinks, that sort of thing. So the plan's that you, me, and Aerith all go shopping together on the plate. I hope you'll join us. We'd love to have you."

Jessie wasn't your usual girly girl—she was a wisecracking tomboy with a heart of gold—but I thought she'd enjoy hanging out with us for a while and doing something fun for the new bar. The three of us were sure to have a good time. Then I thought of something else Aerith had said, an idea she'd had about our trip.

I smirked. "Got a favor to ask. Think you could convince Cloud to be our bag boy? I don't think it would be that hard—you know he'd do anything for you. And if we need a second pair of arms, I'm pretty sure I can sweet talk Biggs into helping out, too. He's alright, by the way. So's everyone else. Even Wedge's cats."

I stopped for a while, just gazing at Jessie and wishing I could help her, wishing she hadn't been so terribly hurt. I had the Restore materia, but its healing magic was only good for surface injuries—bruises, cuts, sprains, broken bones, that sort of thing. It was the same with potions. They couldn't heal the internal damage she had suffered. Jessie'd had so much current racing through her body it was a miracle she was alive. If it had reached her heart, she'd have been killed.

But in spite of that, she was still dying. Jessie had endured so much pain—from the horrible electrical shock, the explosions, the loss of all that blood, the fall—that after everything she'd been through, it was no wonder her body was giving out on her. It wasn't the first time I'd seen her badly hurt, but it was definitely the worst.

I remembered then the journey that Jessie and I had taken through the sewers not long after she had joined Avalanche. The Shinra soldiers had caught us by surprise during our reconnaissance mission and we'd been forced to improvise, diving into the smelly tunnels to escape. But we had simply traded one danger for another.

The sahagins had sprung at us from out of nowhere, pulling Jessie into the muck and water and nearly drowning her. I'd gotten her out of there, but they hadn't given up easily and we'd had to fight them. In the midst of it, one of them had stabbed Jessie with its trident. She'd had to lean on me the rest of the way back home, and I had kept talking to her and encouraging her so she'd stay awake.

It had taken Jessie a little while to recover from her ordeal, and the guys had all fretted over her, but she had pulled through. Not long after that, I had begun teaching her my martial arts. Partly it was because of the interest she had shown in it after she'd seen me fight, but it was also because I'd been afraid for her after what had happened and wanted to be sure she could protect herself. She'd had her gun and grenades, but I knew they wouldn't always be enough.

I laid a hand on Jessie's shoulder. "You know, I was just thinking of that trip we took through the sewers a couple years ago. Gave me quite a scare when you got hurt. And… I'm scared now, seeing you like this. I don't want to lose you, Jessie."

For a moment, I couldn't go on. I just didn't want to think about it. About… not having my friend anymore. As bound and determined as I was to save her, I couldn't help the worry and fear that clutched at my heart. I just gazed down at Jessie, listened to her breathing and the slow but steady beeping of the monitor.

"There's something else I want to talk about, too," I continued. "It's about Cloud. I can't really share this with anyone else, but… the two of you are close now. So you've probably noticed it, too. You see, Jessie… I think something's wrong with him."

I sighed. "I can't put my finger on it, but these attacks that he's been having worry me. I know you've seen them, too. But there's something else as well. Maybe I'm not remembering everything right, but some of what Cloud's told me about our past, about what happened… it doesn't add up. And I'm wondering if he's talked to you about it, too. He really cares about you, Jessie. He trusts you."

"Maybe I'm just getting worked up over nothing, but… I needed to get it out. So, thanks for listening, Jessie. I'm going to keep on watching Cloud, and maybe when you've recovered, you and I can talk about it. I don't think I'll say anything to him just yet, though. I don't know what it would do to him. I'm a little scared to find out. I hope you'll help me. I'm sure you will. You love him."

I smiled a little as I thought about that. Of all the things that I had thought might happen after Cloud had so suddenly come back into my life again, watching him find love surprised me the most. He'd been so hard and distant at first, but Jessie hadn't been deterred. She'd probably seen it as a challenge. And she'd totally beaten it.

"I should go now," I said, shaking off the sudden wave of dizziness that swept over me, probably from donating my blood. "We both need our rest. Cloud'll be in here soon, and I know you'll like that. He'll stay with you until we have to go. We shouldn't be gone that long, so please hold on, okay? Stay with us, Jessie. Stay alive."

Taking her left hand in both of mine for a moment, I let out a long, slow breath. I would take the image of my friend, lying here so still and so hurt, with me in my mind. I'd let it drive me to help the guys rescue Aerith and, in doing so, save Jessie, too. Nodding to myself, my resolve renewed, I set my fear aside and focused on what had to be done. Then I gently set her hand back down.

"Goodnight, Jessie," I whispered.

* * *

"You ready?" Marissa asked.

I nodded. "Do it."

She did, inserting the needle into my arm. Just a quick sting and it was over. Nothing to worry about. Still, I was vaguely uneasy about it. I didn't know why, though. Something I couldn't really place. But as I sat and watched the blood—my blood—flowing into the tube and the bag, I reminded myself that Marissa was a friend and that doing this would help Jessie. And that was all that mattered.

"You okay, Cloud?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I told her. "Just not comfortable with doctors."

Marissa smiled. "I understand. And lucky for you, I'm not a doctor. Just a medic. Does that help?"

It did, actually. "Yeah, now that you mention it."

"Good," she chuckled. "Now just relax. It'll be over soon."

"SOLDIERs aren't allowed to do this," I said. "Not even First Class. Did you know that?"

She shook her head. "No. You quit, though, didn't you?"

I kept watching the blood flow. "That's right. So I don't exactly care about Shinra's rules anymore. Not that I ever understood this one. And if breaking it helps Jessie, then I'm fine with that."

"You really care about her, don't you?" Marissa said.

"I, uh…" I blinked. "Well, yeah…"

She giggled. "That's sweet. You really _are_ new at this, aren't you? At being with someone, that is."

I looked away. "Still getting used to it."

"Well, you're doing fine so far," Marissa assured me.

"Thanks," I told her.

When the bag was full, she carefully took the needle out, then set it aside and put a small gauze pad over the wound. She'd been right about me, of course. Jessie meant a lot to me, but being close to her the way I was still surprised me sometimes. I hadn't expected to be like that with anyone when I had first come to Midgar. But now, I didn't want to let it go, to let _her_ go. And I wouldn't.

Marissa held up a dressing. "Red, right?"

"You bet," I agreed.

"Thought so," she said, tying it on. "Jessie's really going to like what you guys are doing for her."

I knew she would. "She's important to us."

Marissa hung the bag on the rack. "I'm glad she found you."

"Same here," I said, gazing at Jessie.

After hitting a few buttons and watching for a minute to make sure everything was running the way it should, Marissa turned back to me. "All done. I'll be heading out now, but I'll step in every once in a while to check on her. Need a hand getting set up?"

I'd brought a pillow and blanket with me when I had come in here. "No, I'm fine. I'll take care of it."

"Okay," she nodded. "Goodnight, then."

After Marissa had stepped quietly into the upstairs hall and closed the door, I stood up and scooted the chair closer to the bed until it was right next to it. Then I sat back down, my eyes on Jessie again. I'd done all that I could for her, at least for now. All that was left was to infiltrate the Shinra Building, rescue Aerith, and bring her back here. But in the meantime, Jessie would be struggling to survive. She still was. As much as I wished I could help, this was one battle I couldn't fight for her. She was strong, though. She would hold out.

"Hey," I said. "We'll be heading out in a few hours—that's about all the time we can spare to rest—so do me a favor while we're gone. Don't stop fighting. Because we won't."

I sat there for a while, my hand drifting up to touch the red strip of cloth around my elbow as my eyes lingered on Jessie. Then I thought of something, got up again, and went over to the corner of the room. Her ruined clothes and gear had been carefully piled here. Setting the parts of Jessie's burnt and blackened armor aside, I picked up her ripped and bloodstained pants and reached into the front pocket.

There it was. The baby chocobo feather in its glass case. And it was intact, not a scratch on it. After putting Jessie's gear back in the corner, I went over to her bed and gently slid the feather under her right hand where it rested softly on her stomach at the end of the sling supporting her arm. I laid my fingers over hers for a moment, my eyes finding her face, and just stood there. I don't know how long. Maybe a minute, or it might've been ten. Either way, I didn't move.

Then I looked up as the door slowly opened. It was Tifa. "Thought you'd still be up, Cloud."

"Yeah," I sighed. "But you shouldn't be."

She chuckled softly. "Only for minute. I woke up downstairs a little while ago. Saw something and thought I'd bring it up here for you two. I know Jessie'll be happy to see it."

Then I realized that she was carrying Jessie's flower in the blue vase I'd gotten her. I nodded, seeing what she had in mind. "Good idea, Tif. Thanks. The dresser oughta be fine."

"Sure thing," she smiled.

Tifa carefully put the vase and flower on top of the dresser so they were on the side closest to Jessie. Then she just looked at her, watching her fight for life with every breath. After a moment, Tifa went over and straightened her blankets where they'd slipped down a little—both the one that had already been on the bed and the other one that Lydia had given her back in Sector 7.

"Take care, Jessie," Tifa whispered, gently stroking her cheek. Then she glanced at me. "You too, Cloud."

"Night, Tif," I nodded.

Then she was gone, slipping back into the hall. After setting up my own pillow and blanket in the chair next to the bed, I leaned in close to Jessie and lightly pressed my lips against hers. I held them there for just a moment, knowing she couldn't respond but wanting her to feel that I was still with her. As I kissed Jessie and took her left hand in my right, I realized I needed the connection as much as she did. Her mouth was cool and moist but still wonderfully sweet.

Eventually, I pulled away, but I stayed near her at first. "Remember what I told you, Jessie. Don't give up."

Then I settled back down into the chair, turning on my side to face her, the pillow underneath my head. I didn't let go of her hand, though. I used my other one to pull the blanket up over me. When I was done, I laid there with my fingers clasping Jessie's.

"I'm gonna get some rest," I told her. "But if you need anything, let me know. I'll be here. Always."

The alarm on my phone was set to go off in about four hours. That would make it early in the morning by the time the others and I left. It was probably gonna take longer for Barret and I to reach the plate than it would the girls, but I knew we'd find a way. Aerith needed us, and so did Jessie. I could almost sense them reaching out to me. Not in words, really. But in feelings, like a cry for help sounding in my head. One that I was bound and determined to answer. As my eyes slid closed and I let sleep start to take me, I kept holding Jessie's hand.

And I never let go.


	9. EIGHT

## EIGHT

It didn't take very long for us to get ready once we all woke up and got moving. Wedge and Lena were awake too when I joined the others downstairs. Just as she'd told me, Marissa had come in during the night a few times to check on Jessie—I'd heard her replacing the medicine as I had dozed in the chair next to the bed but not slept, and the slow but steady beeping of the monitor had been both reassuring and a difficult reminder of Jessie's wounded condition.

After brushing my lips across her cheek, I had hurried downstairs. The rest of us had a quiet breakfast that Elmyra and Tifa had prepared, but there wasn't much discussion. All of us knew what to do, what was on the line with today's mission. Even Marlene was subdued, sitting as she was on Barret's lap as she ate.

Lena seemed to be feeling a little better, but she still didn't look like she was in good shape as Wedge hovered anxiously nearby. As soon as she'd finished eating—only about half her plate—she put it aside before laying down on the sofa again, her face flushed. But she gave us a weak smile as we got ready to leave.

"Good luck, guys," she said, her head on the pillow.

I walked over and knelt down next to her after shouldering Buster. "Hang in there. We'll get your medicine."

Lena clasped my hand. "Thanks, Cloud."

"Are you gonna save Aerith now?" Marlene asked us.

"That's right, honey," Barret said, gently picking her up. "So I need ya to be a good girl an' mind Wedge an' Miss Elmyra while we're gone. Take good care of Lena an' Jessie for us."

She giggled. "Okay!"

Barret hugged her, then carefully put her down. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Marlene went over to Tifa, who scooped her up and embraced her as well for a moment. Marlene went to me next, walking right over and gazing shyly at me. Although I knew she wasn't afraid of me anymore, I still wasn't quite sure how to approach her. Kids weren't really my strong point.

"Bring Aerith back, okay?" she said.

I nodded. "I will. Look after Jessie for me."

Marlene laughed. "Sure!"

After saying our goodbyes to Wedge, Lena, and Elmyra, we left the house, stepping quietly outside amidst the morning daylight streaming down from in between the seams of the plate. We stood there together for a moment, the four of us—me, Tifa, Barret, and Marissa. And as we did, Marissa pointed at our arms.

"Still wearing your dressings?" she smiled.

Barret grinned. "Damn right. Bleedin' mighta stopped, but we ain't readyta take 'em off jus' yet."

Tifa touched hers. "Not until after the mission."

"Yeah," I agreed. "We keep them on."

We all looked at each other and the red bands of cloth around each of our left elbows. Although she was dying and locked in a coma, Jessie was still with us. And with her help, with what she'd known and shared with Marissa, we'd rescue Aerith and in turn, save her, too. I looked up at the second floor of the house, my eyes reaching the upstairs window. Jessie was inside, clinging to life even as it was slowly fading away from her. We were running out of time.

I turned to the others. "Let's move, people. The clock's ticking, and Jessie's counting on us. So's Aerith."

"I'll meet you topside," Tifa climbed onto the Hardy.

"Right," I tossed her the keys. "Be careful."

She winked. "You too, Cloud."

"See you soon, guys," Marissa added, sliding onto the Gust.

Then she and Tifa drove off, the engines loud in the stillness as the two motorcycles sped up the narrow trail toward town, Tifa in front as Marissa followed behind. After sharing a determined nod with Barret, he and I started up the path ourselves, hurrying along at a brisk trot. It would probably take us about half an hour to get to Wall Market, and I planned to take the collapsed expressway to get there. Whatever thugs and monsters we encountered inside wouldn't be anything we couldn't handle, so that was our best bet.

Barret and I were heading through town a few minutes later along the main road when I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling to me. As I looked to my left, I saw a sandy-haired boy standing in front of an old wooden fence with some kind of lot behind it.

"Oates?" I blinked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Thought that was you, Cloud. Glad you're okay, what with the plate coming down."

I went over to him. "It was pretty close."

"I'll bet!" he agreed. "So where's Aerith? I thought she'd still be with you. She's okay, isn't she?"

Aerith had introduced me to Oates yesterday afternoon on the way to her house. He looked to be about eleven or twelve, with a wary glint in his eye. He didn't trust most adults, from what Aerith had told me. I wasn't surprised she was an exception to that, though. She did seem to have a way with people.

I sighed. "Long story. Shinra's got her, but we're getting her back. In fact, we're on our way now."

"I knew those suits were trouble," Oates muttered.

"You mean the Turks?" I asked.

He shrugged. "That's what they're called? Well, yeah. I'd always see them in town now and then. They really stand out, you know. If you're as strong as she says, though, you'll save her."

"Count on it," I told him.

"Hey, Oates!" a girl came running up. "There you are!"

He looked at her. "What's up, Maddy?"

I stared, recognizing the name. The girl was about the same age as Oates, with black hair tied in a ponytail and a pair of glasses resting on her face. Maddy was the girl Jessie had saved two years ago from a hell house, the one that had almost killed her, and I realized she was part of the reason why Jessie still had a slim chance to survive. I wouldn't have found out that Aerith could heal someone who was so close to death if Maddy's rescue had never happened.

"Ms. Folia's looking for you," she told Oates. "She wants you to help set up the benches outside the Leaf House for our reading and art stuff. Don't worry, I'll give you a hand."

I walked over to her. "You're Jessie's friend, right?"

She blinked. "We both are, me and Oates. She used to live here and played with us when she wasn't fixing stuff."

"Jessie was the _best_ at Whack-A-Box!" Oates added.

"Is Jessie your friend, too?" Maddy asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. She's at Aerith's house now. And she's hurt."

"Oh, no!" she gasped. "Will she be okay?"

My gaze never wavered. "I'll see to it. But in the meantime, Elmyra might need help looking after her—fetching supplies, gathering herbs, things like that. Think you can handle it?"

Maddy put her hands on her hips. "Of course! Jessie saved my life a couple years ago. I'd be glad to help!"

"There's nothing in this town we can't find," Oates added.

"Good," I told them. "Head over to Aerith's house and see what you can do. Elmyra'll tell you what she needs."

Maddy grinned. "You got it!"

"The rest of the gang'll help, too," Oates promised.

"Alright," I said. "Get to it."

They ran off, hurrying down the road together, probably gathering their friends on the way to Aerith's house. Knowing Maddy, Oates, and the other kids were on the job was oddly reassuring. Didn't know why, but it was. I just knew they'd do all they could to help. Barret chuckled softly to himself as I walked past him.

"Now ain't that a sight," he smirked, falling in alongside me. "Guess you got a way with kids after all, merc."

I shrugged. "Not really."

Barret snorted. "Hah! Coulda fooled me."

"Let's just get to Wall Market," I said. "No telling how long it'll take us to find a way up to the plate."

"I hear ya," he agreed.

We hurried out of town, following the road into the outskirts a few minutes later. Some wererats and hedgehog pies tried to get in our way out here, but we took them out quickly and easily, our weapons leaving them in pieces in the dirt. After going around the scrapyard to pass the trench I had dumped the Shinra motorcycle troops in last night, Barret and I moved on, taking the short path toward the collapsed highway. It wasn't long before the entrance came into view.

"Here we go," Barret muttered.

* * *

Marissa and I sped onto the tracks and into the Corkscrew Tunnel, ignoring the startled shouts of the attendant, and soon we were racing upward, the red lights on the walls a blur as we kept driving. With luck, we'd get to the top without Shinra giving us any trouble. But if they did, I was more than ready. I still had my Ice materia, two of the ethers that Cloud, Aerith, and I had picked up in the Train Graveyard, and plenty of energy after last night's rest.

"Which exit when we get topside?" I asked.

"Sector 4," Marissa answered, pulling the Gust up alongside me. "It shouldn't be as closely watched as the Sector 8 station—it's not as busy, and there aren't usually as many guards."

I nodded. "Sector 4 it is, then. Stay close, Marissa. I've got a feeling Shinra isn't gonna make this easy."

"Right by your side, Tifa!" she said.

We passed through an ID scan barely two minutes later, and it was only seconds after that when a pair of Shinra attack drones swooped in ahead of us from around the curve in the tunnel. Sizzling blue bursts of electricity sparked toward us, but we were ready, pulling our bikes one way and then another to dodge the attacks.

Lifting my arm, I blew apart one of the drones with a quick shot of ice from my materia while Marissa just barely avoided getting shocked by the second one. I took it out a moment later, shattering it in a chilly shower of frost-encrusted pieces.

We weren't out of danger yet, though. Marissa and I had barely had a chance to breathe before two Shinra soldiers on motorcycles drove in behind us from one of the lower exit tunnels branching off to the side. Marissa shrieked as the sound of gunfire suddenly split the air, but she kept driving and didn't falter, ducking her head when a few of the shots got close. My eyes narrowing, I quickly hit the brakes, and the soldiers sped past me, shouting in surprise.

Then I gunned the engine, shooting down the tracks and using the Hardy's boosters to catch up. I struck one of the soldiers with a blast of cold, sending him flying off his bike, and then pulled up alongside the other one while Marissa drove ahead of us. The solder tried to aim his gun at me, but I rammed him with the Hardy, and he dropped it. Then I finished him off with a backhand punch to the face. He tumbled from his motorcycle with a shout as it crashed.

"You okay?" I called to Marissa as I joined her.

She gave me a thumbs up. "Yeah! That's one way to get your blood pumping, isn't it?"

I laughed. "You got that right!"

"We're about halfway to the plate now," Marissa said. "Another ten minutes and we'll be there."

"Better stay alert, though," I told her.

She nodded. "Right! Shinra won't give up easily."

Then I glanced over my shoulder. "Speak of the devil… we've got a lot more company on the way!"

Two more soldiers on motorcycles were closing in behind us along with another pair of attack drones. I wondered for a moment why we'd encountered so much resistance, but then I understood that Shinra was probably on the lookout for us—we'd already known security would be tight in here, and Heidegger probably suspected that we'd escaped from the plate collapse. Or he was just covering all his bases. But either way, we weren't going to let him stop us.

The drones flew ahead of us, firing bolts of electricity at us as they passed. Marissa managed to swerve out of the way, but one of the blasts hit too close to me, and the Hardy suddenly lurched with the impact. It held together, though, shuddering a bit as I got it under control. Then I threw a frigid burst of ice into one of the drones. It froze and exploded, flying apart a haze of sparks and smoke.

By then, the Shinra soldiers had caught up to us, and they sped out in front us and started dropping grenades in our path. But we managed to avoid the blasts, pulling right and left as the other drone unleashed a sizzling bolt of electricity. As I dodged it, I saw Marissa quickly pull out a handgun and start firing. She missed at first, as inexperienced as she was, but her third and fourth shots found the mark, striking the drone dead on and quickly blowing it apart.

"Good shot!" I told her.

She smirked. "Thanks! Lena let me borrow her gun. Said it was her way of helping out with the mission."

I chuckled. "Remind me to give her a hug later."

"Will do!" Marissa grinned. "Now let's take these guys out!"

"Ready when you are!" I agreed.

We sped up, dodging more explosions as the Shinra soldiers tossed two more grenades back at us. As I caught up to one of the soldiers and rammed his bike, Marissa opened fire at the other one, shooting as she drove. She missed at first, but she didn't give up, and a second later, the bullets caught the grenade he was about to throw.

It exploded at once, abruptly cutting off the soldier's startled shout and turning both him and his motorcycle into a twisted, flaming wreck that Marissa easily avoided crashing into. At the same time, I slammed the Hardy into other soldier's bike again, throwing him off balance just as he tried to shoot me. Before he could recover, I hurled a blast of cold at the bike's engine, freezing it instantly and sending the soldier and his bike spinning wildly out of control until they collided with the nearest wall in a loud, thunderous explosion.

"Wow! That got him!" Marissa cheered.

"Sure did!" I said. "Looks like we're in the clear."

She pulled up alongside me. "Yeah. We're almost to the station. It'll be coming up on the right in a minute or two."

"Copy that!" I confirmed.

We drove on, exiting the tunnel and speeding out into a trench set in between two narrow streets, with rows of houses on either side. The tracks continued to curve around ahead of us, and as we arrived at the Sector 4 station only a minute or so later and drove out onto the road, I thought of Cloud and Barret and hoped it wouldn't take long for them to find a way up here to the plate. We only had so much time before we lost Jessie. And I wasn't going to let that happen. Revving the engine, I followed Marissa to the Shinra Building.

* * *

"Well, here we are," Barret grunted.

I nodded. "Wall Market."

We stood in front of the gate for a moment, looking at the bustling town. Getting here hadn't been a problem—we'd run into a few groups of monsters back in the collapsed expressway but had made short work of them. And after returning to Evergreen Park, we'd stopped to take a short break for a few minutes before moving on. Barret had talked to a few of the people there and on the nearby path along the way, offering a few words of encouragement as we went.

He glanced at me. "So how do we get upta the plate?"

"Not sure," I admitted. "But I've got a pretty good idea about where to start looking. So let's move."

If anyone in Wall Market would know how to get topside, it would be one of the Trio. I hadn't seen Sam out by his chocobo stables on the edge of town—he was probably busy working—so with a resigned sigh, I decided our best bet would have to be the Honeybee Inn and Andrea. He'd have the information we needed.

I led Barret through the maze of streets until we reached the gaudy place. It was quieter and not as busy now that it was day, and the young receptionist in the yellow suit looked up as we approached the counter. He blinked as he suddenly realized who I was.

"Oh, it's you, Mr. Cloud," he said. "Or should I call you—"

I frowned. "Not a word! Just take us to Andrea."

He nodded. "Yes, sir. He's been expecting you. If you'll follow me, I will bring you to him."

With that, the receptionist led us to the stairs, and we followed him to a long hallway on the second floor, the same one he'd led Aerith and I into when we'd been here last night. At least this time, I was out of the dress and feeling like myself. I still couldn't believe Aerith had actually reserved a room for Jessie and I here, though.

"You a bit outta sorts, ain'tcha?" Barret quipped.

I grimaced as we followed the receptionist down the hall. "Nothing you need to worry about."

We reached Andrea's office at the far end a moment later, and after the receptionist had left, we stepped inside. Andrea was waiting for us, still wearing that weird black and purple outfit with the high collar and weblike pattern across the chest and arms. He bowed gracefully before motioning for us to have a seat in the cushioned chairs.

"You knew we were coming?" I asked.

"Indeed," he said, sitting down as we did the same. "Know that the Trio has eyes all over Wall Market. As soon as I found out that you had returned, Cloud, I knew you would seek me out."

I gazed intently at him. "We need to get to the plate. Fast."

Andrea leaned forward. "With the trains no longer running, there is no way to do that. Or so most people think."

"Whaddya mean?" Barret asked.

"There is one possibility," Andrea told us. "It will be dangerous, but if anyone can succeed, it will be the two of you. Go to the weapon shop and speak with Marcus—I believe you know him, Cloud—and tell him I sent you. He will have what you need."

I didn't get it. "For what?"

He went on. "To climb the ruins. It's the only way."

Barret and I looked at each other. It was obvious, of course. And it was the last thing Shinra would expect. Not the easiest path to take, but we'd manage. Whatever Marcus had for us would help us get there, so I knew our next step. But before we left, there was one other thing I had to do. He'd been her friend, after all.

I turned back to Andrea. "I see what you're getting at. And we'll do it. But first, thanks. For sending Jules and his men to Sector 7. I think I know why you did it. We found her, Andrea."

"Is she alright?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Jessie's stable for now," I told him. "But unless we can save Aerith, she'll die. She was badly hurt in the collapse."

Andrea stood up. "I see. Then you need to hurry."

"We won't lose her," I promised as Barret and I joined him. "It's not gonna be the end for Firebrand."

"Ah, so you've discovered her secret," he smiled.

I nodded. "Yeah. We'll keep it safe. She's our friend, too."

Andrea bowed again. "Then she is in good hands. Go now, Cloud. We've no time to waste. None at all."

Barret and I did exactly that, hurrying to the door and heading out into the hall. We left the Honeybee Inn after that and quickly made our way toward the weapon shop. I wasn't too sure how Marcus could help us, but I knew Andrea wouldn't have sent us to him if he couldn't. And it wasn't like we had much of a choice.

"So who is this guy?" Barret wondered.

"Marcus?" I replied, lowering my voice as we walked. "He's the one Jessie and I bought the C4 from. For Reactor 1."

He nodded. "Ah, I get ya. Wonder how they met…"

"Dunno," I shrugged. "She never told me. Jessie'd had some contact with him before the meeting but had never told him her name. He only knows her as J. Marcus didn't even realize Jessie was a girl until we met him that night to buy the explosives."

"Can't blame her for bein' cautious," Barret said. "She wasn't exactly shoppin' for groceries, after all. An' if she'd gotten caught, them Shinra bastards woulda killed her. Or Corneo woulda, considerin' this was his town. Jessie really put herself on the line for us."

I glanced at him. "Heard you gave her a hard time."

"Goddamn understatement," he sighed. "I grilled her ass 'cause she was in Shinra. Tifa told me to back down, but I didn't wanna listen. All I could see was that Jessie'd kept it from me."

"Can you blame her?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nah, not anymore, Cloud. I was a dumbass to think she'd ever wanna hurt us."

"I could've told you that," I pointed out.

Barret laughed. "Yeah, but you'd have enjoyed it too much."

I shrugged. "Probably."

We reached the weapon shop a minute or two later. When we went inside, Marcus was busy in his enclosed work area off to the left just as I'd thought he'd be. I had stopped in here for a minute yesterday, and he was the one who'd first told me Corneo'd been searching for Avalanche. He looked up when I tapped the bell on the counter.

"Cloud, good to see ya," Marcus waved, walking over to us. "Heard the plate come down last night. Goddamn terrible, I tell ya. I… I hope J wasn't in Sector 7 when that happened."

I sighed. "She was, Marcus. That's why we're here."

He swore, shaking his head. "Shit… she really was a nice girl. Lotta spirit. Reminded me of my niece."

"She's not dead," I told him. "But she will be soon if we can't get up to the plate and rescue a friend of ours from the Shinra Building. She'll help J if we can get her back in time."'

"So what can I do for ya?" Marcus asked.

I went on. "Andrea sent us. He said you have something we can use to climb up the ruins and get topside."

He nodded. "That I do. Just a minute."

Marcus went to one of the shelves of different parts and equipment lining his work area, took a faded dark gray bag with drawstrings, and brought it over to the counter. Then he opened it and pulled out a pair of large, black metal devices fitted with cables, hooks, and a trigger. As I looked at them, I realized what they were.

"Grappling guns," I noted.

"Exactly," Marcus agreed. "Just aim and shoot. You can use these to pull yourselves up through the ruins. Footing's not gonna be good in a lotta places, so be sure to watch your step."

Barret picked one up. "Thanks. Anythin' else?"

Marcus scratched his brown beard. "There's a wall at the end of the road by Don Corneo's mansion. That'll be your best place to start. Oh, and before I forget, take these, too."

He reached under the counter and brought out two objects I wasn't sure what to make of at first. They were blocky, with leads on one end, and looked to have been recently salvaged. With the huge pile of debris he kept outside, I wasn't surprised.

"Batteries?" I wondered.

Marcus nodded. "Yeah. Found 'em this morning and finally got 'em fixed. Should come in handy up there."

I blinked. "What do we need them for?"

"Clearin' a path," he answered. "You'll see, don't worry."

"Alright, thanks," I said.

After taking both the batteries and the grappling guns, Barret and I left the weapon shop and headed further up the street. As we got close to Corneo's mansion, I saw a narrow road leading away to the right just on this side of the bridge. We followed it and found ourselves at a dead end only a minute later, a high concrete wall in front of us. Above it lay the shattered ruins of the Sector 7 plate.

As we slowly brought our gaze back down from that horrible sight and returned it to the wall, we noticed that somebody had sprayed the word "Avalanche" across it in huge red letters. A thick wire, frayed and sparking in places but still intact, hung down from the wreckage all the way to the ground, and a little girl sat nearby.

"Guess we got supporters here, too," Barret chuckled, gazing at the spray-painted logo. "Every lil' bit helps."

I looked at the wire. "Think we can climb this?"

The little girl nodded. "Yeah. It leads to the upper city. Well, to the top of the wall, anyway."

"Not gonna be an easy trip…" I sighed.

"Oh, we can do this, SOLDIER boy," Barret insisted. "There's a way. Whaddya think that is?"

I shrugged. "It's a wire."

"More like a shiny golden threada hope!" he shot back.

"Corny as hell, but you've got a point," I admitted. "That wire's our only chance to save Aerith and Jessie."

Barret pounded his chest. "Damn right it is!"

The climb was at least fifty feet straight up, too far for us to use our grappling guns. And we had nothing to catch us if we fell. But the girls were depending on us. Tifa and Marissa, too—they'd probably already reached the plate by now and were waiting for us. I figured we could be topside in under an hour if all went well. And then the real plan would begin. But the first step was to get there.

Grabbing hold of the wire, I started to climb.


	10. NINE

## NINE

When Barret and I reached the top of the wall, we stopped for just a moment to catch our breath. There wasn't much room to stand, but it was enough. Although heights didn't bother me, I didn't look down. It would get worse the higher we got, and I knew the footing would likely be even more precarious for most of our ascent.

Barret looked up. "Still got a long wayta go, merc."

"Yeah," I nodded, following his gaze. "But we'll get there. Got your grappling gun ready?"

He held it up and grinned. "You bet! We got three goals, SOLDIER boy! One—kick some Shinra ass an' save the planet! Two—save Aerith while kickin' even more Shinra ass! Three—make a flashy escape to the slums, kick Shinra ass, an' save Jessie!"

"Copy that," I agreed.

Taking aim, we fired at a low hanging edge of the debris and pulled ourselves up. The shattered remains of the plate were a tangled mass of wires, twisted metal, broken concrete, rubble, and other debris. We set down on a long, rusted sewer pipe about three feet across that must've been underground before the plate had collapsed. It rose up at an angle amidst a cluster of other wreckage.

We climbed carefully toward the top end, weaving past a jumble of torn cables until we got there. But with all the broken ruins around us, we couldn't see a place to fire our grappling guns from here. There was an actual airplane caught in the midst of it, a large one. Probably from Shinra's aviation museum. Jessie had told me about it once, during one of our long trips across the slums.

She, Biggs, and Wedge had ventured up to the Sector 7 plate earlier in the year to steal an engine part from one of the aircraft displayed in the museum, one she could convert into a motor to power the elevator in _Seventh Heaven._ They'd still been building it at the time, connecting it to the new hideout they'd been putting together in the basement. The theft had been a success, though Jessie had gotten a little distracted on the way out when she'd seen a huge mural showing an airship hovering over the main launchpad in Junon.

She'd been totally in awe of the thing and had nearly forgotten why she was even there. It wasn't until she had heard someone arguing with one of the staff that she had come back to herself. From what Jessie had said, the guy'd had a hell of a temper and a mouth to match. But he had noticed her gazing at the mural and had given her a little smile, as if he liked that she was admiring the airship.

After shooing the museum staff away, the pilot—Jessie had figured him from his outfit—had chatted with her for a minute. Apparently, he had come to town on business for a few days but was from somewhere far from here. Biggs and Wedge had found Jessie a little while later, and they had returned to the slums without any trouble. Then she had used that engine part to finish the elevator.

"Damn plane's blockin' the way," Barret muttered.

I took a closer look. "Yeah. If we could just move that propeller up a bit, we could jump on it to keep going."

He nodded. "Any ideas?"

At first, I didn't know. The plane was nose-up in the debris next to the sewer pipe, surrounded by the rubble of what might've been part of a hangar. But then I spotted an open panel in the fuselage. Inside was a fuse box of some kind, humming faintly. As I gazed at it, I remembered what we had brought with us.

"Yeah," I said. "The batteries Marcus gave us. If we put one in here, the propeller might work. See the cockpit?"

Barret looked around. "Right down here, Spike."

I took out a battery. "Okay. Once I put this in, try the engine."

"Will do," he said, reaching inside.

The plane was an older model with an open cockpit, fortunately, so all he had to do was take hold of the starter. I wasn't sure if he'd be able to hot-wire it with just one hand, but somehow he managed it. As I got ready to plug the battery into the fuse box, Barret used the barrel of his gun-arm to hold the instrument panel steady while he worked. It took only a moment, and then he was ready.

I inserted the battery. "Start it up, Barret!"

He did, and a moment later, the motor revved to life. It only lasted for a few seconds, but that was enough to move the propeller so one of the wide blades lined up with the next section of the wreckage when it finally came to a stop. We jumped lightly atop it, then climbed further up until we came to a jumble of broken tracks amidst the scorched and blasted remains of one of the smaller tunnels that ran across the plate. I started to reach for my grappling gun to move past it, then froze when I saw what was in the middle of the ruin.

The devastated wreck of a train lay twisted within the debris, glass windows shattered and smoke rising from the burnt metal. It looked as if some huge hand had just grabbed it and smashed it again and again. But the worst thing was, I could see shapes inside. Bodies of passengers and crew. They'd been caught in the collapse, likely trying to get out of Sector 7 before everything had gone to hell.

"Goddamn…" Barret shivered.

I sighed. "They didn't have a chance."

He grimaced. "I know, Cloud. We gonna remind Shinra 'bout that when we save Aerith, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "They'll get the message."

"Damn right they will!" he agreed.

I glanced at the tracks. "Look, there's a crossing gate here. If we can raise it, we'll be able to move on."

"We need another battery?" Barret asked.

I nodded. "Looks that way."

After taking the second one out of my pocket, I plugged it into the open port at the bottom of the gate. Then I flicked a switch a short way up, and the arm lifted with a mechanical hum. That done, Barret and I moved on, following the tracks until they came to an abrupt end just a short distance away. Then we used our grappling guns to pull ourselves up to the next cluster of debris. As we made our way carefully across a thin, fallen stone pillar with nothing but air beneath us, I heard Barret muttering nervously to himself.

"Don't look down…" he breathed. "You can do this. Jus' keep goin'. Don't look down. Don't look the hell down…"

I kept my eyes ahead. "Relax, Barret. We're almost there."

He snorted. "I'm jus' fine, SOLDIER boy."

"If you say so," I shrugged.

We reached the other side a moment later and stepped down onto a large section of broken highway littered with rubble, ruined cars, and collapsed buildings. At first, the place was empty, but then three Shinra soldiers came running around the corner of a ruined wall. They raised their rifles as soon as they saw us.

"It's them!" one of them yelled. "Avalanche!"

Barret raised his gun-arm. "Bet your ass it is! Y'all don't know what sufferin' is! But you gonna find out!"

While he opened fire, spraying the soldiers with bullets, I scattered the group with a quick blast of lightning from my materia. Then I drew Buster and ran in, slashing low and then high. Although we took them down easily enough, another wave showed up only a few seconds after the first had been dispatched. Between the two of us, though, we made short work of them, my sword and his gun-arm tearing into them and leaving them sprawled out on the ground.

"They'll be coming for us," I said, shouldering Buster. "They know we're alive, or at least suspect it. Ran into another group while I was on the way back to Aerith's house with Jessie."

Barret glanced at me. "Bet they're history now."

I nodded. "Believe it. No way I was letting them touch her."

"You really got it bad, dontcha?" he grinned.

"Got what?" I blinked.

He chuckled. "Nevermind. Let's jus' get goin'. An' to hell with bein' subtle! Jus' thinkin' 'bout bustin' inta Shinra HQ's got me all fired up! I got enoughta keep me goin' for days!"

We moved on, hurrying down the section of highway and fighting a few more groups of Shinra soldiers as we went. They weren't much of a threat, though, and we took them down with barely a scratch to show for it. The ruins rose further above us, but I could see we were making progress. The top was closer now, and so was the center of the city. We had been heading toward both, since the ruins gradually rose up from the outer edge toward the middle.

Just as we were passing another wall, something suddenly flew past us, spitting a line of bullets along the road. It was just a blur at first, but then I caught sight of it as Barret and I dove aside. It was some kind of mech, small but deadly. A body shaped like an upside-down cone with a pair of gatling guns mounted on either side and a third on its back. It was held aloft by three sets of propellers and darted back and forth as it quickly circled around us and fired again.

"The hell's this?" Barret asked.

"Valkyrie," I answered, drawing Buster. "Heard about it when I was still in SOLDIER. Also called Heligunner. It's an advanced aerial sentry used for search and destroy missons."

Barret raised his gun-arm and grimaced. "Hey, Cloud… you think Jessie designed this one, too?"

I frowned. "If she did, she'd want us to destroy it."

"Yeah!" he agreed. "Let's take this son of a bitch down! For Jessie! I owe her for all the hell I put her through."

"Got that right," I told him.

As the Valkyrie swooped toward us, guns blazing, I quickly spun to the right and struck it with a backhand slash as Barret opened fire with his gun-arm, bullets chewing into the mech's metal skin. But although it was small, the Valkyrie was tough. It shuddered but held as it flew by and circled around for another pass. We were ready for it, though, and we weren't about to let up for a second.

* * *

I followed Marissa into an alley, slowing the Hardy as I went in. We had just enough room to fit the bikes, and after driving a hundred feet or so from the main road, we stopped for a minute. I'd seen the Shinra Building before going in here, and it was huge. Bigger than I'd thought. And Aerith was right near the top of it.

"What now?" I asked.

Marissa glanced over her shoulder at me. "There's a back entrance to the Shinra Building just around the corner at the end of the alley. It's a loading bay for deliveries and such. I'll have one of my contacts from inside meet me there to bring in the Hardy."

I nodded. "And then what?"

"First, we'll bring the bikes to the loading bay. Then you head over to the rendezvous point across the street to wait for Cloud and Barret. And while you're doing that, I'll get the Hardy moved inside. It'll be on the third floor—don't forget."

"Right, I'll remember," I told her. "But how will we know which car to steal for the rest of us?"

Marissa went on. "One of my contacts will tell you, Tifa. If you can make it past the 60th floor, you'll meet him. He can be a little eccentric, but he's a good man and cares about people."

I smirked. "Sounds like us."

"True enough," she chuckled. "Once the Hardy's inside, I'll ride the Gust back to the slums and look after Jessie."

"Will she make it until we get back?" I asked quietly.

Marissa sighed. "I'll keep her with us for as long as I can, Tifa. But unless you guys can save Aerith and bring her back in time… she'll die. Jessie only has a day or two left, like Elmyra said. But… to be honest, I think she was trying to be optimistic."

I stared at her. "What do you mean, Marissa?"

"It's just that… it's not the kind of news anyone in medicine likes to deliver," she explained. "What she said was true, but it's more likely that Jessie's only got a day at most. Maybe less. Two was if she held out and responded well to the treatments."

"But she hasn't, has she?" I shivered.

Marissa shook her head. "No. Like I told you all before, Jessie's got too much internal damage. She's barely hanging on. So you guys really need to hurry. We don't have much time."

I nodded. "Then let's move."

We did, heading down the alley and around the corner to the back of the Shinra Building. I saw the loading bay Marissa had mentioned a moment later, and we parked the bikes alongside it. After getting off, I handed her the keys to the Hardy. There was no one else there yet, but I wasn't worried. Marissa was already reaching for her phone. She gave me an encouraging smile as she pulled it out.

"Better head over to the rendezvous point now, Tifa," she said. "I'll take care of things here. Good luck."

I took her shoulder. "You too, Marissa. Thanks."

Then I hurried back up the alley, keeping to the shadows as I made my way back to the street. There were guards out in front of the Shinra Building, and I didn't need them spotting me. So I snuck quietly across the road to another alley and slipped just inside. And then, my eyes on Shinra's towering corporate headquarters, I folded my arms in front of me and settled in to wait for Cloud and Barret.

After a few minutes, though, I began to wonder about them. Were they getting close? I was sure they'd have found a way to get here, but I didn't know what it would be or how long it would take. Unless… with them avoiding the Corkscrew Tunnel, the only other way up would be to climb the ruins. That had to be it.

Judging by how Marissa and I'd had to fight our way up here, it was a good bet that the guys would run into Shinra's forces as well. I knew I was supposed to wait and meet them here and that they were perfectly capable of kicking ass, but I still felt restless. I was worried about Jessie and Aerith, too, especially after what Marissa had just told me. And as I thought about that, I made my decision.

With a last look at Shinra Headquarters, I jogged down the alley to the next street. Sector 7—or rather, the edge leading to where it used to be—wasn't too far away. Cloud and Barret would be climbing toward it to get here. And with this being the center of the city and where all the different sectors met, the border between it and the ruins wouldn't be a large one—the sectors were shaped like giant wedges with their points all connected here at the heart of Midgar.

If the guys had gotten high enough, I'd be able to see them coming. I raced down the street and around another corner, heading northwest until I finally came to the edge. And I deliberately kept my eyes low so as to avoid looking at the terrible view that was surely spread out below me. I thought I'd go crazy if I did. So instead, I took a breath, crouched down, and scanned the ruins for my friends.

At first, I didn't see anything. But then, after a moment, I spotted a a pair of tiny figures about two hundred feet below me. They were on a stretch of broken highway sloping upward amidst the crumbling ruins of several skyscrapers. It was Cloud and Barret, alright. But something was following them, firing and then darting away before they could get in more than a hit or two as they climbed.

Narrowing my eyes, I clenched my fists as I stepped down onto the wreckage. It descended at a fairly steep angle from here to where Cloud and Barret were, and the footing was treacherous with all the shattered pieces of metal, concrete, and other debris piled everywhere. But I had to get to my friends and help them out. So, as carefully as I could, I ran down the slope, ready to join the fight.

* * *

"Run, dammit, run!" I yelled. "Move your ass!"

Cloud followed me behind another section of wall jus' as that flyin' metal mosquito buzzed past us, guns blazin'. I fired off a few shotsa my own but only grazed it before it sped outta range again. That'd been the battle so far—hit an' run as we kept makin' our way upward. Cloud had gotten in a cut or two but not much more yet. Damn thing was fast, an' it didn't like stayin' close for very long.

Holdin' his sword ready, Cloud flattened himself nexta me with his backta the wall. "What do you think I'm doing!?"

"Damn thing's tryin' to sting usta death," I muttered.

"Any bright ideas?" Cloud asked.

I snorted. "Don't get killed."

"Wasn't planning on it," he quipped.

Jus' then, the Valkyrie flew toward us again, bullets diggin' inta the other side of of the wall we was standin' behind. I spun 'round an' fired a few shots at it while Cloud shocked it with a blasta lightnin' from his materia. The mech sparked an' wobbled, but it held together. Tough lil' bastard. All I could do was nick it before it started circlin' again, an' we hadta get our asses back behind cover.

When the mech flew back only a few seconds later, it didn't use its guns this time. It fired a paira rockets at us, smoke trailin' from behind 'em as they streaked right for us. My eyes widened as soon as I saw 'em, an' I got movin' right away, runnin' up the broken highway with Cloud jus' behind me. Fire an' thunder chased us the whole way as the rockets exploded, an' then the Valkyrie fired two more.

I glanced over my shoulder. "Oh, you gotta be shittin' me!"

"Just shut up and run!" Cloud snapped.

I did, pumpin' my legs and climbin' the debris as the rockets struck the cracked pavement not ten feet behind us. Heat swept over me, an' I dove to the side to get away from the flames while Cloud did the same. We came up on our feet in a large open area partway up the slope. The city above was a lot closer now, with the Shinra Buildin' in the middle. My blood boiled when I saw that place.

Didn't have no time to think 'bout it, though. That mech swooped in an' hovered a few feet above the ground, firin' its guns as it went. Me an' Cloud split upta divide its attention, him goin' left while I ran to the right. Bullets was chasin' us the whole damn way, but now we was close enoughta really strike back at the thing.

I whipped up my gun-arm an' took aim. "Finally! Was gettin' tireda playin' tag! Timeta rock!"

"Less talking, more shooting!" Cloud called.

I did jus' that, firin' a steady streama bullets inta the Valkyrie while SOLDIER boy sliced at it from the other side. We got in some solid hits but nothin' that did any real damage yet. After scorchin' it with a quick blasta fire magic from my materia, I unloaded on it with a big shot, the orange balla flame flyin' from my gun-arm an' hittin Valkyrie dead on. It shook an' sparked but didn't go down.

Cloud jumped, did a forward somersault, an' struck the mech with a huge overhead chop that knocked it off balance. As he came down, it shot streamsa fire in all directions, lightin' up partsa the debris with its napalm jets an' turnin' the area into a friggin' inferno. Then I saw it was gettin' readyta fire more rockets at us.

"Aw, shit…" I swore.

Jus' then, though, I heard footsteps runnin' down the slope toward us an' a sharp intake of breath as whoever it was suddenly jumped inta the air. I turned to look, but at first I only saw a slim silhouette flippin' forward across the early afternoon sky. When she let out a loud yell an' started slammin' the mech with her fists an' feet and sent it flyin' back, though, I knew exactly who it was.

"Tifa!" Cloud an' I shouted at the same time.

She smirked as she landed. "Hi, guys! Need a hand?"

"Damn, girl!" I grinned. "You sure know howta make an entrance! An' I thought Spike was the flashy one!"

She smiled. "Thanks. It _was_ pretty good, wasn't it?"

"You bet," Cloud agreed, givin' her a faint smile. "Glad you're here, Tif. Thought you were on the plate, though."

Tifa nodded. "I was. Marissa's getting the Hardy in place right now. But while I was up there, I realized I couldn't just stand around and do nothing. So I went looking for you."

He eyed the Valkyrie again. "Good thinking."

"Ready to take out the trash, guys?" Tifa raised her fists.

"Oh, hell yeah!" I whipped my gun-arm back up as we all faced the mech. "Let's blow this bitch outta the sky!"

We went at it, shootin' an' hittin' an' slicin' again an' again, attackin' it from all sides. The mech fired back, but we kept on movin' an' stayin' aheada the bullets. Then it started spinnin', lettin' loose in all directions at once. We scattered, Cloud an' Tifa peltin' it with their magic as I kept up the pressure with a focused shot.

Suddenly, the Valkyrie rose up overhead an' then slammed straight down toward me, the drill on the bottom of its body damn sharp. With a startled cry, I dove aside an' rolled backta my feet as the mech struck the ground where I'd jus' been. Cloud an' Tifa rushed in an' whaled on it before it could rise back up, an' I added my bullets inta the mix along with another bursta magical fire here an' there 'till the Valkryie started spinnin' like a top an' chasin' after me.

"Shit! Little help here, guys!" I called, runnin' like hell.

Cloud an' Tifa went right at it as I circled the area, stayin' jus' a step aheada that giant metal mosquito. Soon as they got it off my back with a flurrya slashes, punches, kicks, an' cuts, I whirled back 'round to face the mech an' blasted it with a concentrated streama gunfire. The mech lurched, smoke risin' from it, then shot back inta the air.

Then it unloaded with a barrage'a gunfire, rockets, an' napalm that sent us all divin' for cover. An' in the midsta all that, the damn Valkyrie fled, flyin' away toward the Shinra Buildin' like a bullet from hell as we coughed on the smoke an' picked ourselves up. By the time the grayish haze had cleared, the mech was long gone.

"Shit…" Cloud swore.

I grimaced. "Nearly had the damn thing. Typical Shinra coward! If I see it again, I'm gonna finish its ass!"

Tifa nodded. "We all will. Everyone okay?"

"Ain't nothin' hurt but my pride, Tifa," I chuckled. "You?"

"I'm fine," she smiled.

Cloud shouldered his sword. "Same. Let's go."

Leavin' the burnin' section of broken highway behind us, we made our way up the resta the ruins, climbin' up the smashed remainsa what usedta be a city. It was quiet now, which was kinda strange after all the ruckus from the fight we had jus' finished, an' we didn't talk much. Jus' kept climbin', movin' past the empty shellsa skyscrapers an' up the high mountaina rubble an' debris.

A few minutes later, we finally reached the top an' pulled ourselves over the edge an' out onta the street. But while we did that, Tifa looked back the way we'd come from, an' the color left her face like water goin' down a drain. I didn't needta ask her why. She jus' stood there, her eyes wide an' haunted as I turned 'round to see for myself jus' what she was lookin' at. Cloud did likewise, an' none of us said a word at first. All we could do was jus' look at that terrible sight.

"No…" Tifa breathed.

Sector 7 lay all spread out below us, a wasteland fulla wreckage an' debris descendin' from here an' stretchin' all the way to the outer wall. I shivered when I saw it. Felt like a goddamn graveyard, an' I s'pose that's what it was now. Wedge an' Lena had gotten a lotta people out, but not nearly everyone. There'd jus' been no way. The slums had been hometa nearly fifty thousand people. Before… this.

An' then there was all the folks who'd been livin' on the plate itself. We'd spotted a few survivors on the way up, but not a lot. I hoped more had gotten outta there before it had all come down, though. But either way, too many people had died last night. An' I was gonna make Shinra answer for it, that was for damn sure.

I glanced at Tifa. "Don't you _ever_ forget this view."

She sighed. "It's… I don't have the words, Barret. I still can't believe they actually did it. So many people… gone."

"I know," I said. "Use it, Tifa. This _anger._ Let it drive ya."

Tifa swallowed. "Was this… our fault?"

I shook my head. "No! Shinra pulled the trigger on this, not us. We went after the reactors, but _they_ chose this. They coulda gone after us a different way, but they didn't. So don't take on."

"He's right," Cloud added. "They chose to drop the plate."

Tifa nodded. "That's true, isn't it? Shinra didn't have to strike back at us like that. They could've done something else, something a lot less drastic, instead of this. Bastards…"

I laid my hand on her shoulder. "That's it, girl."

"It's a miracle we were able to find Jessie in all of… that," Tifa said, her eyes on the broken hellscape before us.

"It was," I agreed. "An' we ain't gonna waste it."

Tifa looked us. "Yeah. She's got less time than we thought, guys. No more than a day at most, from what Marissa said. Probably less. Jessie's just… slipping away. So we've gotta hurry."

Cloud's blue eyes never wavered. "We're going. Now."

Without another word, he turned an' headed down the street. Tifa an' I followed right behind him, determined to save Jessie an' Aerith an' give Shinra a lil' pain while we was at it. We made our way through the roads an' alleys, keepin' to the shadows to avoid bein' spotted by Shinra soldiers, an' a few minutes later, we was there.

Shinra Headquarters loomed overhead, a huge tower risin' inta the gloomy sky like somethin' from a nightmare. Huge mako pipes twenty feet across went into it an' out all across the city, belchin' fumes up inta the air. The damn place was ugly as hell with that weird sideways drum section sittin' up near the top, an' the Shinra logo was stamped above it as well as on the two glass front doors.

Cloud, Tifa, an' I gazed at our destination, ready to kick ass an' get Aerith outta there. With luck, we wouldn't be here too long, an' we'd get back downta the slums in time for her to save Jessie. I reached up for a moment an' touched the red stripa cloth tied 'round my left arm. I had let Jessie down, but now I was gonna make it upta her an' repay Aerith for all the good she'd done for me, for savin' Marlene. I was gonna save her jus' like she'd saved my little girl.

An' kick Shinra ass every stepa the way.


	11. TEN

## TEN

We hurried across the street and into the shadows underneath the Shinra Building, keeping out of sight of the guards patrolling the main entrance. There were only two, nothing the three of us couldn't handle, but I wanted to avoid being noticed for as long as possible. Predictably, though, Barret had other ideas.

"How 'bout this?" he whispered. "We go for a frontal assault, guns blazin' an' all that. Make a good story."

Tifa frowned. "Are you crazy? Going in front?"

Barret snorted. "Hell yeah! Timeta kick some Shinra ass!"

"Why'd we bring you along again?" I asked.

"You got a better plan?" he growled. "Can't be wastin' time. Jessie'll die if we don't get in there an' save Aerith!"

Tifa grimaced. "I know that! But if we get caught…"

"Emergency stairwell," I decided. "Same way Jessie got out. Marissa told us about it, remember?"

"That's _much_ better," Tifa agreed.

Barret sighed. "An' a helluva lotta climbin'…"

"Oh, quit complaining!" she snapped, glaring at him. "And look at it this way. You'll get a good workout."

"Or a goddamn heart attack," he muttered.

I glanced at Tifa. "We could always leave him here."

She stifled a laugh. "Tempting, but no."

"Wha…!?" Barret sputtered. "Oh, now that ain't fair! Them Shinra assholes've got a date with my gun-arm!"

"Then shut up and follow me," I told him.

Without waiting for him to answer, I got moving, ducking quickly into a nearby alley to the left of the Shinra Building. It was darker here, with a thick mako pipe curving along the base of the outer wall. Barret and Tifa followed me as I hurried down the alley, and it was only a few minutes later that we came to a dead end. But there was also a door off to the right. It was small, metal, and fortunately unlocked. A few words had been imprinted across it in bold letters:

STAIRWELL ACCESS

"Jackpot!" Tifa beamed, opening the door.

She darted inside without a sound, and I went next. Barret brought up the rear, grumbling under his breath. I ignored him, standing at the base of the stairs for a moment and looking up while Tifa did the same. It was, like Barret had said, a _long_ climb. Looked to be fifteen stairs per flight, with a landing on each floor. And we had to get all the way up to the 59th. Wasn't gonna be a quick trip.

Barret eyed the stairs. "You have _got_ to be shittin' me…"

"Nope," I told him. "This is it. The way in, thanks to Jessie. As long as you pace yourself, you'll be fine."

"Talk about outta the way…" he muttered.

Tifa started up the steps. "We've gotta get to Aerith somehow, and I don't have time to argue with you! I'm going!"

"Wait, don't go runnin' off by yourself, Tifa!" he said.

She paused halfway up the first flight of stairs and glanced back at him for a minute. "We're only talking fifty-nine floors, Barret. Nothing to it! So get moving, already!"

He sighed and followed her. _"Only_ fifty-nine. Least we ain't doin' a race. Thank the planet for small blessin's."

"Just go," I told him.

We started climbing, going at a brisk walk to move at a decent pace while also conserving our energy. Well, Tifa and I. Barret just stomped up the stairs one by one, and he was already panting by the time we got to the fourth floor. He didn't stop, but I could see sweat beading on his dark skin as he swore softly to himself. A little ways ahead of him, Tifa kept going, her eyes fixed firmly ahead of her.

"What do you think it's like up there?" she wondered.

"Tighter security and more restrictions," I answered. "It gets harder from here. We'll need to find a keycard."

Barret grunted. "One problem at a time, merc."

"Just saying," I told him.

"Yeah, I hear ya," he sighed, panting. "Dunno why the hell we gotta climb all these stairs, though. We gonna be goddamn exhausted by the time we make it to the top."

I followed him to the sixth floor. "Because we're here to save Aerith and get out, not take down Shinra. We don't need much more attention than what we're already gonna get."

He chuckled. "Well, whaddya know…"

"Knock it off," I snapped. "You're creeping me out."

"Wanna take a quick break?" Barret asked.

I didn't. "No. Keep moving."

"C'mon, Barret!" Tifa added, heading toward the seventh floor. "It's not so bad. Just keep pushing."

He grimaced. "Thought I _was_ pushin'…"

"Pushing my patience, maybe," she shot back.

We kept going, stair after stair, Barret huffing along ahead of me as the thudding of our footsteps filled the air. There was a slight echo here because of how enclosed the area was, and on each landing was a door. They were, I noticed, all locked. I was sure Marissa would make certain the one on the 59th floor wasn't, though. She wouldn't have had us take this way if she didn't have a means of getting us in.

"Guess you ain't the selfish bastard I took ya for," Barret laughed as we passed the twelfth floor.

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

He went on. "Jus' sayin' Tifa an' Jessie was right 'boutcha. Seems ya do care 'bout others after all. You fightin' for 'em right now—Aerith an' Jessie. Lena, too. Guess I had ya figured wrong."

It was about time. "No shit."

"Ain't gonna gimme an inch, are ya?" Barret snickered. "Jus' sayin' I was wrong 'boutcha, Cloud. Sorry."

"Forget about it," I sighed. "Just keep climbing."

Tifa giggled. "Finally…"

"What's that all about?" I looked up at her.

"Just glad you two are finally getting along," she said, smiling at us from the next landing before moving on.

I blinked. "Huh? We are?"

"Hmph!" Barret snorted. "Still a pain in the ass, though."

"Like always," Tifa quipped.

As we kept going, I eventually passed Barret—the stairs were wide enough that we could've walked up them side by side. Although he had slowed down a bit, he was still going, panting with every step. The soft whisper of Tifa's breathing came from above us, and as for me, I wasn't even winded. SOLDIER training, of course. Still a long way to go, but it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. I kept the image of Jessie, hurt and dying in her bed at Aerith's place, at the front of my mind as I climbed. And I never stopped or slowed down. Not once.

"Take a quick breather if ya want," Barret told me. "Blame it on me, I don't care. Gotta pace ourselves, right?"

I frowned. "That doesn't mean stopping."

His panting was getting heavier. "You gonna jus'… keep walkin' the whole damn way… without a break?"

"That's the idea," I told him, still moving.

"You a goddamn machine, ain'tcha?" Barret muttered.

I glared at him over my shoulder. "No. I was a SOLDIER. You can't hack it, can you? Just say it already."

"I'll hack _you,_ jackass!" he snarled, raising his fist.

"That's enough!" Tifa whirled on us, her dark eyes red and blazing. "Arguing isn't gonna get us there any faster."

I stared at her. "But I wasn't—"

"Not now!" she snapped. "Save it for later."

"He started it!" Barret complained.

Tifa raised her own fist. "I don't care who started it! I'll finish it! So quit fighting, both of you!"

Barret's eyes were wide. "Y-Yes, ma'am…"

"Uh, yeah…" I said, looking away from her angry gaze.

"Good," she went on. "Now let's go."

Tifa started climbing again without another word, and for the next few minutes, it was quiet. None of us said anything, and I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Tifa was almost a whole floor ahead of us by now, and when I reached another landing, I saw we had passed into the twenties. It was progress, at least. That was when Barret spoke up again, calmer but still out of breath.

"So… these weird labs an' shit… Marissa was tellin' us 'bout…" he asked. "they all the way… up top?"

I nodded. "Yeah. On the 67th floor."

He sighed. "Figures. Woulda been nice… if they'd had 'em… lower down. Coulda jus' snuck right in there, saved Aerith, an' left… without havin' to… go up all these damn stairs…"

"Don't start," Tifa sighed.

"Too late," I grimaced, knowing what was coming.

Barret continued, right on cue. "So, uh… how long you think these stairs go, anyway? They ever gonna end?"

"Beats me," Tifa answered. "Ask them yourself."

I looked back to see Barret glancing down at the stairs. "Hey, guys. How much farther y'all plan on goin'?"

"Did he just…?" Tifa giggled.

"He did," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

She laughed, two floors above us now. "Barret, you didn't seriously think they'd answer, did you?"

"Nah, 'course not, Tifa," he said. "They jus' stairs, right?"

"Cloud?" she called. "Keep an eye on him."

I nodded. "On it."

Barret sighed and brought his gaze back up. "This ain't some kinda endless stairway or somethin', is it?"

"Of course not!" Tifa answered sharply.

"Right, couldn't be…" he muttered. "Couldn't be that…"

I knew it wasn't. "It'll end, sooner or later."

"Hope you're right, merc," he replied. "Thanks for the assist."

I shrugged. "Whatever."

As we made our way up into the thirties, Barret lagged behind a bit more. Didn't stop, though, in spite of all his complaints, so I had to give him that much. I glanced back at him again and noticed more sweat on him than before, his footsteps heavy on the metal stairs as he climbed. I looked forward again a moment later, never once breaking stride as I moved. But I did slow down just a little.

"Thought you'd be in better shape," I told him.

Barret grunted. "I'm fine, SOLDIER boy. Jus' ain't used to doin' the stair climb from hell. I'll manage, though."

I smirked. "You can thank Jessie for this later."

"Oh, I will," he laughed. "Believe me."

Tifa's voice floated down to us. "Hey, guys! Where are you?"

I looked up. "Just a few floors down."

"Good!" she said. "Keep at it! We're doing fine!"

"We there yet?" Barret asked.

"Nope," she answered.

He asked again at the 34th floor. "There yet?"

Tifa sighed. "Not yet."

"How 'bout now?" Barret tried again.

"I said not yet!" she hissed.

I heard him as we passed the 36th floor. "Hey, Tifa—"

"Look, Barret, don't even bother asking!" she snapped. "We're way, way, way, _way_ far from being there!"

"This sucks! I'm goin' back!" he growled.

Tifa glared down at him. "Oh, come on! You really wanna go down all those stairs you just climbed? It'll take just as long for you to do that as it did to go up them in the first place."

"Shit…" Barret grumbled.

He kept going, muttering sourly to himself under his breath again. We found Tifa on the 40th floor, panting slightly with her hands on her hips as she waited for us. Barret was actually still almost an entire floor behind me, so I got there a minute or so before he did. Tifa flashed me a little smile as I joined her.

"Tired?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Not anymore. I feel fine. You?"

I nodded. "Same."

"You're not even sweating," Tifa chuckled. "Must be that SOLDIER stamina of yours. Pretty useful, I'd say."

"Comes in handy," I agreed.

She smirked. "I bet Jessie thinks so, too."

I blinked and looked away, blushing furiously. "I, uh…"

"What's so funny?" Barret asked as he finally joined us. "Heard you two goin' on 'bout somethin' jus' now."

"Nothing!" I told him.

Tifa noticed him panting heavily. "C'mon, Barret, pull it together! I know you can do this!"

"I'm jus' flesh n' blood, Tifa," he said, wiping sweat off his forehead. "'Cept for my arm. Ain't like I was ever in SOLDIER or anythin'. So cut me a little slack here, awright?"

"What about me? I'm human, too!" she argued.

Barret scratched his head. "Huh?"

Tifa waved him off. "Oh, do what you want. I'm going!"

"Sorry, Tifa," he said. "I didn't mean that."

"Alright, me too," she relaxed.

We got moving again, this time with Tifa bringing up the rear and Barret in the middle. I led the way into the forties, the only sounds our breath and the steady thudding of our feet on the stairs. We were pretty high up now, finally starting to get close to our destination. But we still had a ways left to go, so we kept at it.

"Any idea what floor this is?" Barret wondered.

"Not a clue," Tifa answered. "I gave up counting a while ago."

I hadn't. "Forty-five. Fourteen to go."

"Glad someone's paying attention," she laughed.

"Why the hell'd they hafta go an' build this goddamn place so tall?" Barret complained. "Another reason to hate alla them Shinra bastards. They jus' no damn good. No good at all."

Tifa sighed. "Barret…"

He went on. "Damn, I'm beat. Gimme a suicidal last stand any day. Least that'd have an' end. Marlene, Daddy jus' wanted to see your sweet little face one more time…"

"Shut up. Now," I ordered him. "Don't be talking like that."

"Why not?" he asked.

Tifa answered for me. "Because wishing for trouble might bring it. And you're not in any shape to fight anyway."

"Hell, I'm—" Barret sputtered.

I cut him off. "No, you're not. You're taking a breather when we get to the top. Call it an order if you want. We don't need you keeling over in the middle of a fight. Understand?"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah. So what am I s'posedta do?"

"Quit acting like a moron and climb!" Tifa told him. "We're nearly there! It's just a bit further… I think."

I saw she was right. "Just passed forty-nine."

Tifa cheered. "See? Only ten to go!"

"Another day, another struggle…" Barret sang, his voice rough but surprisingly in tune. "Climbin' stairs is so much trouble…"

"That was good, Barret!" Tifa said.

He laughed. "Thanks! Glad ya liked my little ditty."

"Maybe you should sing a duet with Jessie sometime," Tifa giggled. "It'd be fun, and you know she'd like it."

"Uh, I dunno. We'll see…" Barret stammered.

I smirked. "Stage fright?"

"Maybe. I ain't much for that kinda thing," he admitted. "Not really the performin' type myself. That's Jessie's gig. Don't need to tell ya that, though. I'm sure you already know by now."

I did, of course. "Yeah. Star of LOVELESS. She told me."

He went on as we reached the 52nd floor. "Ever hear her sing? She's a diva! Girl's gotta a helluva seta pipes."

"Not yet," I answered. "Aerith mentioned it, though."

"Well then, after this is all over, we'll just have to have Jessie give us a little concert," Tifa decided.

Barret chuckled. "Call it a fee for our services, maybe."

"That's fine by me," I agreed.

The last few floors went by in a blur as all of us—even Barret—put on a fresh burst of speed knowing that the end was in sight. It had been a long climb, but I hadn't doubted that we'd pull it off. The girls needed us, and we weren't gonna let them down. As we raced up the last flight of stairs, I almost felt like I was flying.

A minute later, we were there, standing together on the landing for the 59th floor. It was set in the corner of two walls, and while no more steps went up from here, there were two doors here instead of one. The first led out of the stairwell and into the building itself. That was where we were headed. The second door was on the other wall at right angles to the first and had a few words on it:

EXECUTIVE LEVELS 60-65  
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

An electronic card reader was mounted next to the door, and I was sure more stairs led up from here on the other side. We didn't have any way to get in there, though. And I didn't think we'd be able to convince Barret to climb any further anyway. He stood nearby, covered in sweat and panting heavily but with a look of profound relief on his face as he realized we had finally made it to the top.

"We made it…" he breathed. "It's about… damn time. Don't wanna see… no more stairs… the resta my life…"

Tifa smiled. "Really takes it out of you, doesn't it?"

Barret nodded. "Bet your ass it does…"

"You did good, though, Barret," she said, taking his shoulder. "You did Jessie proud. And Marlene."

"Makes it all worth it," he grinned.

I tried the first door. It was unlocked, just as I'd expected. "Alright. We've got our way in. Better rest for a minute first, though. Wasn't easy to get here, after all. So have a seat, guys."

Barret did just that. "Damn, but this feels good…"

"You're not kidding," Tifa agreed.

We all sat on the landing to catch our breath after that long climb. I let us have three minutes for our break. That was all the time we could spare. Jessie's was running out, and there was no way Shinra was going to let Aerith go without a fight.

"So Jessie really went down all these stairs?" Barret asked.

Tifa nodded. "Yeah, when she left Shinra, remember? Marissa told me more about it when we were getting ready this morning. That bitch Scarlet actually shot Jessie on the way out, did you know that? Got her in the arm as she ran into the stairwell."

He swore. "Goddamn…"

"I think I know why," I said. "Jessie had worked under Scarlet, was her assistant. We know she designed some of Shinra's weapons—Jessie only wanted to use them to help protect people. But Scarlet altered her designs behind her back and turned them into killing machines. Jessie must've found out about it and confronted her."

"She told you?" Tifa looked at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, in the Sector 4 underplate when we hid the bomb for Reactor 5. She was really broken up about what had happened with Reactor 1. But you guys heard what the president said before we fought Airbuster. They did it, not us. It wasn't her fault."

"We gonna tell her, right?" Barret said.

"I will," I assured him. "Soon as I can. She needs to know."

Tifa tightened her fist. "Definitely. Shinra caused all that death and destruction. Not Jessie. And if I _ever_ run into Scarlet, I'll introduce my fist to her face. _Nobody_ hurts my friends."

"Kick ass, girl!" Barret grinned.

"Oh, I will," she promised, her eyes narrow.

I checked my phone and got to my feet. "Time's up. Let's go."

"This is it, guys," Tifa said. "Better be ready."

"Damn straight!" Barret pumped his fist. "We ain't messin' around now. Time to kick some Shinra ass!"

I frowned. "Focus on the girls. That's our objective."

He reloaded his gun-arm as he stood up. "Hell, I know. Don't mean we can't have a little fun while we're here. All parta the plan, SOLDIER boy. Save Aerith an' deliver the smackdown."

"Count on it," Tifa added.

"Guess we'll have to fight sooner or later," I admitted. "But we need to make it fast when we do. Don't wanna be noticed until we're already on the way out with Aerith. Got it?"

Barret put on his shades. "I hear ya, merc. Let's rock!"

Tifa slowly opened the door a little and peeked through. "We won't have to wait long. Company's on the other side."

"Guards?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Two guys wearing big, bulky red suits. They look like robots. Weapons on their arms, too."

I nodded. "Armored grunts. Shinra's elite forces."

"Oh, we can take 'em!" Barret grinned.

"Any ideas?" Tifa glanced at me.

I thought for a moment. "They're big but not very fast. Vulnerable to lightning, too. If we're quick enough, we can take them down before they can sound the alarm."

"Surprise attack," Barret suggested. "That's the ticket."

I drew Buster. "Exactly. Let's move."

He and Tifa both got into position on either side of me as I quietly pulled the door open. The grunts' backs were to us, and they looked to be doing a standard patrol, walking a slow circle around the main area. The floor and walls were all shiny black marble, and I spotted two sets of elevators. One was directly across from us, and the other I could just barely see off to my left in the corner.

To my right on the far side of the area sat a pair of dark green sofas with a polished gray coffee table in between them. Must've been a little break area or meeting spot of some kind. The place was empty, though. Several other doors here and there along the walls stood closed and led out of sight, probably to a bunch of offices. A few potted plants nestled in the corners added the finishing touch.

When the armored grunts got close enough, I sprang out instantly, Tifa and Barret right behind me. I focused on my materia and hurled a sizzling bolt of lightning at the nearest grunt, striking it squarely in the back of its red steel chestplate. It staggered and whirled around in time to catch a swiping slash from Buster.

In the meantime, Tifa and Barret closed in on the second armored grunt, fists and bullets ripping into it. The thing fired back but missed, and Tifa hit his helmeted head with a pair of diving kicks while Barret followed it up with a focused burst of gunfire. The grunt collapsed in a heap, his chest full of smoking holes.

The first grunt was still on his feet, but I pressed the attack, cutting with Buster left, right, and left again and using the wide blade to block his gunshots. He had a glowing white energy sword fixed to the end of his right arm and used it to deflect my attacks. I fell back, knowing he'd come after at me sooner or later.

Sure enough, the armored grunt bought my feint. When he lunged at me, I ducked under the clumsy arc of his swing and slammed Buster into his sword. Then I knocked it away, spun around, and sliced him in half at the waist. He fell apart in a shower of sparks and blood as Barret and Tifa finished off his partner.

"Quick an' easy," Barret pumped his fist and grinned. "Ain't nothin' to it. Da-da-da-da-daa-daa-da-dadaaa!"

Tifa gave us a thumbs up. "That's a win!"

I shouldered Buster. "Yeah. Let's look for the keycard."

"You think there's one here?" she asked.

"Marissa would've made sure of it," I reminded her. "Those friends of hers on the inside. We just need to find it."

Tifa nodded. "We will."

That said, we all spread out and started looking around. Although there wasn't much to search through, I knew the keycard had to be out here somewhere. Marissa's contact would've left it someplace where we could easily find it, and that meant that it wouldn't be in another room somewhere. It would be hidden right out here in the floor's central area where she knew we'd have to go to move on.

I wasn't sure where to look at first, but then I slowly wandered over to the two sofas. Them and the coffee table were the only furniture out here, and they looked ordinary enough. When I walked over, though, I decided to look underneath the dark green cushions. I crouched down and lifted them up one after another. There were a lot of them because both couches were pretty long. But then, Tifa noticed what I was doing and came right over to help, checking one sofa while I did the other as Barret continued to search the rest of the area.

"Cloud!" Tifa called. "Found it!"

I turned around to see her kneeling by the other couch and smiling as she held up a white plastic card with the Shinra logo imprinted on it. "Good job. Under the cushion, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And that's not all. Look!"

"Whatcha got there, Tifa?" Barret asked as he joined us.

"Our contact left us a note," she answered.

Tifa had a slim white envelope in her other hand. It was open, and I realized the keycard must've been tucked inside along with the single sheet of paper she pulled out after handing me our prize. As Barret and I listened, Tifa read the note to us. It wasn't that long, and it left us with just as many questions as answers.

_To my expected visitors,_

_If you're reading this little message of mine, then you're well on your way to accomplishing your mission. This keycard will allow you to reach the 60th_ _floor. Sorry I couldn't get you further than that, at least for now, but I wanted to ensure we met face to face before you start raising havoc against Shinra. Of course, you'll need to prove yourselves to me before I'll give you access to the higher levels. I want to see for myself that you're up to snuff. Just a little test, nothing more._

 _Quite a few guards patrol the 60th floor, so you'll have to sneak your way past them. I've unlocked the doors_ _leading to the escalators, so that's where you'll want to go. I'm sure that you can make your way to the 61st floor from there._ _It's a bit convoluted, I know, but I'm afraid it's the best I can do. My reach is damnably limited, as you'll soon see. I'm nothing but a poor, caged old bird longing to be set free._

 _In the Skyview Hall cafeteria and lounge on the 61_ _st_ _floor, you'll find one of my agents. He'll be more snappily dressed than most of the people you'll see up there. Say that you're part of Shinra's Internal Maintenance Division—that's just the company's fancy name for its janitors and repair crews—and he'll tell you to go and fix a broken door upstairs. That's how you'll know he's your man. Then he'll update your keycard so you can get to the 62nd floor, where I'll be waiting for you._

 _Our mutual friend brought me up to speed on all that's happened, so I know why you're here. Everything is in place, so don't worry about that. Just get here as soon as you can and I'll explain the rest. Shinra's got a lot to answer for, and I can't wait to see you make them suffer! The indignity of what they've done to me! It's terrible! Everything I've gone through and endured. But enough about that. You had better_ _get moving. I'll be seeing you soon. And then we'll make Shinra sorry!_

 _Your BEST friend,  
_ _Mr. D_

"Who the hell's Mr. D?" Barret scratched his head.

I shrugged. "A friend. We'll find out later. In the meantime, let's do what he said and try to find this guy he told us about. We won't get any closer to Aerith until that's done."

Tifa nodded. "He's on the 61st floor. Skyview Hall."

"Right," I nodded. "Time to go."

We shared a determined glance, then headed over to the larger set of elevators opposite the stairs. A pair of clear glass doors stood closed in front of them with an electronic card reader sitting off to one side. I took a breath, then swiped the keycard through the slot. A second later, there was a little chime, and the light on the side of the machine turned from red to green as the glass doors slid open.

"Paydirt!" Barret grinned.

Tifa smirked as we hurried into the short little hall. "Well, now we know it works. So far, so good."

I hit the call button. "Yeah. But stay alert."

"Count on it," she agreed.

There were two elevators here, and a moment later we heard a soft beep. The doors to the one on the right opened, and we went inside. It was a huge glass cylinder about twenty feet across reinforced with steel along the top and bottom edges and where the button panel was. Next to it was another card reader, and after swiping the keycard through it, I tapped the button for the 60th floor. It changed color from white to a pale green, and the elevator started to rise.

One step closer to Aerith.


	12. ELEVEN

## ELEVEN

"Which ones?" Brennan asked.

I leaned forward at my desk as I spoke on the phone. "All of them. Every reactor, every pillar. Like I told you—a full inspection. No telling what sort of damage there might be. If you see anything strange or out of the ordinary, I want to know."

"Understood," he said. "We're on it, Director."

Satisfied, I hung up. Brennan and his men were some of the Urban Development Division's best engineers, and if anyone could find out if there was a problem or a danger in the city's infrastructure, it would be them. After what had happened to Sector 7 last night, I wasn't about to take any chances. There was no way to tell how the loss of such a huge part of the plate would affect the rest.

Although I was tired, I hadn't gone home since the collapse. There was so much to be done, and it kept me from thinking too much about Jessica. Worrying, to be more precise. I still hadn't heard from her, and I had started to fear that she had been among those lost in the disaster. Had I been right to send her to the slums two years ago? Perhaps if she had stayed, she would've been safe now.

Angrily, I thrust my doubts from my mind. Heidegger would never have let her find any peace up here on the plate. His dogged pursuit of Kunsel and Marissa over the last two years had more than proved that. The slums had been Jessica's only hope of escape, and until now, they'd been a haven for her. Although I wasn't sure how I felt about her being in Avalanche, it didn't surprise me. She had more reason to hate Shinra than anyone. I knew how personal it was for her.

I looked up when the door opened and my secretary walked inside carrying a sheaf of papers. "Here are the damage estimates for Sector 7 that you requested, sir. It's… pretty bad."

"I can imagine," I nodded. "Thank you, Janice."

She sighed. "Director Tuesti… try and get some sleep. You've been here almost twenty-four hours now."

I shook my head. "Not yet. I need to finish preparing my proposal for the reconstruction plan before tonight's board meeting. Destroying an entire sector is… it's beyond the pale."

"I wouldn't go saying things like that outside this room, sir," Janice warned. "I don't think it would be safe."

"Don't I know it…" I agreed.

She glanced behind her as the phone rang. "Oh, someone's calling. Don't worry, though. I'll get it."

I went back to my work while she left to answer the phone. I hadn't been expecting any other calls, and I wondered who it could be. Janice would tell me if it was important and take care of it if it wasn't. So I put it out of my mind and went over those damage estimates. They were as terrible as we'd feared, to say nothing of the cost in lives lost. I was still working when I noticed the phone light flash.

I picked up the receiver. "Yes, Janice? Who's on the line?"

"Marissa Tobin," she replied. "She says its urgent."

"Put her through," I told her.

I heard Marissa just a moment later. "Director Tuesti?"

"Yes, I'm here," I said. "What's going on?"

"Is this line secure?" she asked.

It wasn't, of course. Shinra had all its phone lines monitored. But I could easily fix that. "Just a moment."

Reaching into the top drawer of my desk, I pulled out a small black device and switched it on while still holding the receiver with my other hand. Putting the jammer on my desk, I hit a few buttons and it sprang to life, the red light on top beeping steadily.

"Alright, we can talk freely," I said. "Go ahead, Marissa."

"I found Jessie," she told me.

My eyes widened as I shot to my feet. "Are you sure? Where is she? Is she alright? Have you seen her?"

"Positive, sir. After Kunsel left your office, he came straight here to see me. He told me what happened in Sector 7, so I went down there to look for her. I met some of her friends down there, and we all searched the ruins together. And… we found her."

"So she was caught in the collapse," I sighed.

Marissa went on. "I'm afraid she was. Jessie was able to temporarily disable the console with the emergency override, but… Heidegger had secretly installed a backup system. Once he turned it on, he reactivated the detonator and sprang a horrible trap to kill her."

My grip on the phone tightened. "No…"

"You know how she gets about him, sir," she said. "She had already been hurt during the battle, and she was trying to stop what he'd done. That's when the trap went off. The console, it blew up right in her face and threw her halfway across the platform."

"That bastard!" I swore.

"Jessie's friends tried to save her, but debris from the plate took her with it to the ground. Like I told you, we found her later when we went back to the ruins, but she's in pretty bad shape."

I swallowed. "How bad?"

"She's dying, sir," Marissa murmured.

I fell into my chair and closed my eyes, horrified at the news. This was worse than I could've ever imagined. And I couldn't help feeling as if I had failed both Jessica _and_ her mother. I had promised Amanda I'd always be there for her and keep her safe. Jessica was my goddaughter, my only real family aside from my parents. But now… now it seemed I was going to lose her, too. Why was I so helpless?

"Is there anything we can do?" I asked when I found my voice.

"She has one chance," Marissa answered.

My eyes flew open. "What do you mean? What is it?"

"Aerith," she explained. "She's the Ancient the Turks captured back in the Sector 7 pillar. She actually knows Jessie—they were friends even before she left the plate—and she can save her."

"Then we have to get her out of here," I said, thinking out loud. "It won't be easy, but it _is_ doable."

Marissa was already ahead of me, though. "Already on it, Director. Her friends and I came here to save her. They should be inside by now, and I've had Domino get everything in place for them. But I wanted to let you know what was going on."

I nodded. "Good. You're not with them now?"

"I'm back in the slums looking after Jessie," she said. "She's hanging on, but just barely. We don't have much time."

"Noted. Make sure she holds on, Marissa. See to it."

Her response was firm and determined. "I will, sir. Count on it. I'll do everything I can to keep her with us."

I knew she would. "Very well. I'll handle things on this end. Aerith will be held in the Science Division, I'm sure of it. Hojo keeps the place locked down pretty tight, but I can get your friends in there to help her without much difficulty. Avalanche, I presume?"

"Yes, sir," Marissa answered.

"I thought as much," I said. "Anyway, you'd better go. But be sure to keep me informed about Jessica's condition. Let me know if there's any change. Have you told Kunsel yet?"

She had. "I called him just before I called you. He wanted to hop in my car and come right down here to see her, but he's still hurt from the battle, so I insisted he stay put at my place. Besides, Shinra's still on the lookout for him after what happened. I know Kunsel's a SOLDIER, but I worry about him. He's… important to me."

I didn't doubt it. "I'll see what I can do to take some of the heat off his back when this is all over."

"Thank you," Marissa said. "And about Jessie, if… if it comes to the point of… saying goodbye… I'll let the two of you know so you can get down here to be with her… before the end."

"I appreciate that, very much. But let's not think about going down that road unless we have to. We can still save her. Best to focus on that, Marissa. We've both got work to do. Yours is keeping Jessica alive. Her friends and I will take care of the rest."

She responded at once. "Understood, sir. Good luck."

"You too," I said. "Tuesti out."

After I hung up, I took another device from my pocket and pressed a button to activate Cait Sith. His eyes blinked open as he sat off to one side of my desk in another chair, and his whiskers twitched. Although I could control him directly whenever I wanted as well as communicate through him if necessary, I usually preferred to let him act on his own, though I'd often use my headset to see through his eyes. It was quite an interesting experience, to say the least.

He stretched as if he'd been asleep. "Well, that was a good wee little nap. So what can I do for ye, boss?"

"Jessica's been found," I explained. "However, she's wounded and in critical condition. The only one who can help her is a girl brought here by the Turks from the Sector 7 pillar."

"That Ancient lass we've heard aboot?" Cait wondered.

I nodded. "Yes. She's being held in the Science Division. I'm certain Hojo has something planned for her, but we have help. Jessica's friends from the slums are infiltrating the building to save her. They're already inside, likely on their way to meet Domino."

Cait hopped to his feet. "It's them Avalanche fellers, right? So if we help them free this lass, she'll save Jessica?"

"Exactly," I answered. "I need you to do what you can to make sure they succeed. Don't let them see you, but help them along however you can. If I'm not at the meeting, Heidegger, Scarlet, and the others might grow suspicious. But I'll stay in touch."

"Aye! Ye can count me!" Cait promised.

I knew I could. "Very well. And one other thing. While you're out, slip into the security office and get me the console logs for the Sector 7 pillar. They'll prove Heidegger threw the switch."

He gave me a little salute. "I'll get 'em, don't ye doubt!"

"Good," I said. "Then get going."

Cait hurried away as soon as I'd finished speaking, slipping into his little hidden exit behind his chair. It would lead him into the sprawling network of shafts and air vents that ran throughout the building. They were all connected and were on every floor, so he could easily make his way anywhere in here without being seen.

When he was gone, I switched off the jammer, put it away, and got back to my reports. But I also put my headset on and enabled the audio feed so I could hear what Cait did. I kept the visuals off for now so that I could do my work, though I intended to activate them later. Knowing Jessica was alive, even as hurt as she was, greatly lifted my spirits, and I was going to do everything I could to help her.

* * *

As I rode up the elevator with Cloud and Barret, I gazed out at the sprawling city through the lift's clear glass walls. Sector 7—or what was left of it, at least—wasn't visible from this angle, and I was glad for that. One look at that terrible wasteland had been more than enough. It was, as Barret had said, a graveyard.

Too many people had died, and we were lucky that we'd gotten out in one piece. And that all our close friends had made it, too. Well, most of them. Jessie, as much as I hated to admit it, was still on the edge. We had been through so much together over the years, and I didn't want to lose her. I wasn't going to let her die. And that meant helping my other friend, the one we were here to save.

"I hope Aerith's alright," I murmured.

"She is," Cloud assured me.

Barret nodded. "Merc's right, Tifa. An' we gonna bust her on outta here. So stay frosty, guys. This is the real deal."

A moment later, there was a soft chime, and the elevator doors slid open. We crept out onto the 60th floor, staying in the shadows as much as we could. The place was full of columns, black marble like the floor, and at least eight of those armored grunts paced back and forth amidst them, turning around every so often at regular intervals. And what we needed was on the far right side of the main area. A pair of glass doors with two very important words above them:

MAIN ESCALATORS

"Look!" I whispered, pointing. "Over there!"

"I see it," Cloud said.

Barret scratched his chin as we slipped quietly into a nearby office. "How we gonna get there without bein' seen, though? Them troops are watchin' the whole area real close."

Cloud peered out the door. "Those columns. We stay behind them and stay quiet and we won't be noticed."

"Those guys turn pretty quick, though," I reminded him.

"Then we'll go one at a time," he said.

I patted his shoulder. "Good plan, Cloud. You first!"

"Knew you'd say that," he smirked.

Barret grunted. "Oughta rush the lot of 'em an' jus' take 'em the hell out. Be a lot easier that way."

"And louder," Cloud pointed out. "Forget it."

"Not to mention they outnumber us three to one," I said. "Not very good odds, if you ask me."

Barret sighed. "Awright, awright… might as well go on ahead then. But keep an eye on them troops an' let us know when it's safe to move. Tifa'll go next, then me. You got that?"

"Copy," Cloud nodded.

I gazed out into the main room. "What are they guarding, anyway? I don't see anything out there."

He pointed to the wall behind me, where a large diagram had been mounted. It showed the entire 60th floor, with a cluster of what looked like storage rooms, other offices, and testing facilities surrounding the central area. The elevators were on the bottom, and the escalators were off to the right, just as we'd seen earlier.

"This floor's gotta be part of the Weapons Development Division," Cloud answered. "Must be where they do some of their research. Jessie could probably tell you more about it."

Now I understood. "They've probably got lots of dangerous stuff in this place. And those guards make sure that none of it gets out. Or that no one gets in here who shouldn't."

"Like us," Barret said.

"Right," I agreed. "But where is everyone?"

Cloud shrugged. "Dunno. This office looks like it's for whoever's in charge on this floor. One of Scarlet's subordinates, probably. But as you can see, it's empty. Lucky for us."

"So why ain't he here?" Barret wondered.

"I think we have our friend Mr. D to thank for that," I said. "He did say he'd made sure we could get to him."

Cloud nodded. "Sounds about right. Now let's move."

"Stick to the shadows!" I told him.

He did just that, slipping quietly out the door and ducking behind the nearest column. There were enough of them in there that we'd have plenty of cover as long as we timed our movements right. While Barret and I watched from the overseer's office, Cloud crept from one column to the next, patiently waiting until all the guards were facing away from him to make his move. Their heavy footsteps echoed in the air, but for all their vigilance, they never saw him.

When Cloud was halfway across the area, he turned and motioned for me to follow him. I did, keeping a close watch on the guards while I darted stealthily from column to column. Cloud beckoned to me when it was safe to move, too. Whenever those armored grunts would face in our direction, I'd flatten myself behind cover until they had moved on. My heart was pounding with every step.

I was almost to Cloud when I noticed his eyes going wide as one of the guards started to turn around faster than we'd expected this time. I was still in the open and couldn't hope to reach the next column before he spotted me. But then, all of a sudden, a tall potted plant behind him just tipped over with a loud crash.

I'd seen several of them sitting around the area, likely put there for decoration and to soften the place up a bit. Expensive, painted things I figured had to have cost more than I'd made in a whole year at _Seventh Heaven._ The guards all whirled toward the noise and conveniently put their backs to us as an explosion of soft brown dirt and broken, glazed bits of pottery flew across the floor.

"Who goes there!?" one of the guards demanded.

I sprinted toward Cloud, grateful for the unexpected diversion, but as I did, I glanced at the guards again and noticed something small and dark running away from the broken pot. It slipped into the shadows of a nearby hallway so quickly I couldn't really make out what it was, and I had to wonder if I'd only imagined it. But, real or not, it had helped us out. I caught up to Cloud safely a moment later.

One of the guards prodded the remains of the potted plant with his rifle. "What a mess. Better get someone from Internal Maintenance up here to clean it up before Scarlet throws a fit."

Barret got moving while the guards were still facing away from us. As soon as they started to turn around, though, he stopped behind one of the columns to wait. He crept forward once they started their patrols again, and soon he had joined Cloud and I at the halfway point. It was a larger pillar, black marble like the rest, that stood in the middle of the central area and was just wide enough for us all to hide behind. Ahead of us past more columns and guards were the glass doors leading to the elevators. Just a little farther to go.

"So far, so good," Barret whispered. "We halfway there."

I nodded. "Yeah. That was close…"

"And convenient," Cloud noted. "Seems we've got more inside help than we thought. Whatever it is…"

"You saw it, too?" I said.

He gazed thoughtfully at the guards. "Not sure. Maybe. Didn't get a good look at it, if something _was_ there. But that pot didn't just fall over by itself. And it kept you from being seen."

"Better not take any chances, though," I reminded him. "We might have help, but that's no reason to get sloppy."

"Right. I'll go first," Cloud agreed.

I watched him go. "Good luck! And be careful!"

He glanced back at me for a moment as he slipped behind the next column, and the corner of his lip curled up in a little smirk. I flashed a small smile back at him and nodded. Then he moved on as soon as the guards had turned away again. Barret and I kept our eyes on him as he made his way silently across the rest of the area, pausing every so often to wait for the guards to move before darting over to the next column. It felt like an eternity, but it really only took a minute or two for Cloud to get to the glass doors and pull them open.

As soon as he went through, he waited just inside the doorway and beckoned to me. I got moving, keeping a close eye on the guards while I crept from column to column. And this time, I joined Cloud without coming close to getting caught. I couldn't help letting out a little sigh of relief as I stepped through the doors, though. Then I turned around to watch and wait as Barret started his turn.

At first, everything went fine. He got over to the first few columns one by one without a hitch, surprisingly quiet for how big he was. And as he moved, Cloud and I watched the guards and motioned for him to wait when they were looking our way. Then we beckoned him forward once they had moved on. So far, so good.

But when he was around halfway to the doors, Barret bumped into another of those potted plants just before he got to another column. As it started to fall, I found myself holding my breath, but he caught it just before it would've smashed to the floor. Even as I was slowly starting to relax, though, the pot slipped as he put it down, settling back into place by the column with a loud thump.

Barret was still partially out in the open, and for just a moment, he froze as several of the guards started to turn around. My eyes widened, and Cloud and I braced ourselves for a fight. But then, just before they would've seen Barret, the guards suddenly flinched as something small, round, and white struck the floor at their feet and billowing plumes of thick gray smoke rose up all around them.

Barret bolted toward us at once, running as fast as he could amidst shouts of confusion from those armored grunts. We couldn't see them, but they couldn't see us, either. Whoever had thrown that smoke bomb had just done us a big favor and given Barret enough cover to reach us without being seen. He made it through the doors a moment later just as the smoke was starting to disperse.

"Shit…" he swore after I had closed the doors behind him. "Me an' my clumsy ass. Almost got us all caught."

"Forget about it," Cloud said.

I nodded. "Seems our little friend came through for us again. Wish I knew who he was. I'd like to thank him."

"Maybe later," he agreed. "For now, let's keep moving."

Barret grinned. "Yeah, baby! Let's do this!"

I frowned over my shoulder at him as I stepped onto the escalator. "We're here to save Aerith and Jessie, remember? Not to fight Shinra by ourselves. We'll deal with them later."

"Jus' gettin' pumped," he said. "I know what we here for."

"Then stay focused," Cloud told him.

I beckoned to him and Barret. "Yeah. Better move on, guys. Clock's ticking, and the girls are counting on us."

Cloud joined me on the escalator. "Right behind you."

"Same here, Tifa," Barret added, bringing up the rear. "I ain't gonna let 'em down, I can promise ya that!"

As we rode the escalator up to the 61st floor, I took a breath to help steady my nerves. We'd made it past the first hurdle with help from our unseen friend. Still a long way to go, but I knew we could do this. We'd find Aerith, break her out, and escape.

* * *

The 61st floor was dominated by a large open area filled with long, angled tables in several rows surrounded by a cluster of smaller round ones. In the middle of it all stood, of all things, a tree. It was huge, with lush green leaves and was enclosed by a high metal fence that stretched all the way up to the ceiling, where a soft, pale bluish light shone down over the branches. For a moment, we all just gazed at it, Tifa and Barret on either side of me as we stepped cautiously through the glass double doors and left the escalator bay behind us.

"Well, ain't that somethin'," Barret said. "Last tree in Midgar. Whole place used to be nothin' but rollin' green hills far as your eye could see. Least 'till Shinra went an' built their city with its reactors. Now it's jus' a barren wasteland for miles in all directions."

I glanced over at him. "You're well-informed."

He nodded. "Did some research before I first moved to this town. I know a thing or two, believe it or not."

"Guess you do," I shrugged.

"Damn right!" he laughed. "Oh, hey! Check it out!"

He walked toward the far side of the area, which was dominated by a wide stretch of thick floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out across the city below. The view spanned the lower half of the city, so there was no way we could see Sector 7 from here. Probably for the best. It wasn't a pleasant sight. And although I knew Heidegger'd had the whole thing rigged from the beginning, I still couldn't help wishing I'd been able to stop what had happened in there.

"Let's go take a look, Cloud," Tifa suggested.

We did, following Barret over to the windows. This was why it was called Skyview Hall. Several tables had been arranged nearby, probably so people could take in the view while they ate. A few people and even couples were sitting here and there, but no one who might've been our contact. They were all wearing uniforms or business casual clothes for the most part. Nothing as formal as what we'd been told to look for. So I just gazed out at the dark cityscape with Tifa and Barret. It was a vast sea of lights in the misty, smog-filled night.

"Folks come up here to admire the scenery," he said. "Beautiful an' pretty, ain't it? But all them lil' lights burnin' so clear an' bright run offa the planet an' her blood. An' bit by bit, they bleed her, never stoppin' to think 'bout how it's gonna end for 'em."

"Yeah," Tifa sighed.

Barret went on. "Terrible, but still beautiful."

I nodded. "Seems that way. Better find our contact, though. Should be around here somewhere. Look for a suit."

"Right," Tifa agreed, scanning the crowd. "Hmm…"

We walked around the area, scanning the crowd as discreetly as we could and trying took casual. There was a mix of office workers, Shinra troopers in their blue uniforms, and a few lower level executives as the murmur of conversation filled the air. I looked around, my eyes flitting from one person to the next.

It was Barret that found him. "Over there, guys. That's our man an' no mistake. Sittin' all by himself."

Tifa and I followed his gaze to a large, buffet-style cafeteria on one side of the area close to the elevators. Smells of cooking food teased my nostrils as we made our way over there, and a sign above the place read "Skyview Cafe" in bright blue letters. Several more tables stood nearby, and at one of them sat a dark-haired guy wearing a crisp gray business suit, a white collared shirt, and a tie.

"And we have ourselves a winner," Tifa said.

"Let's go see him," I added.

We walked over the table, and as I got closer, I saw he was nursing a mug of coffee and reading through some papers. Seemed like he was getting ready for a long night shift. Not much of a surprise with all that had happened over the past two days.

He looked up as we approached. "And you are…?"

"Internal Maintenance," I answered.

"Oh, right…" the man nodded. "You're here about that door, aren't you? Better have a seat before you get noticed."

There were three empty chairs around the table, and we each took one. We'd definitely been expected. I leaned forward. "That's right. You know what we need, right?"

He held out his hand. "Of course. I've already been apprised of the situation. Name's Jamison, by the way. Now, if you'll let me take a look at your keycard for a moment, I'll update it for you."

"You can do that?" Tifa asked.

"Yes, most executives here can upgrade keycard access permissions if necessary," Jamison explained. "But only to certain floors depending on the clearance level he or she has."

I handed him the card. "And you can get us upstairs?"

He took it, then pulled a small device from his pocket and scanned the card. "Only to the 62nd floor. Another contact will meet you there, however. He'll take you further."

"Understood," I said. "How will we know him?"

Jamison gave me back the key. "Don't worry. He'll know you."

I slipped it safely back in my pocket. "Alright. Good enough, then. What's up there, anyway?"

"Shinra's archives," he said. "Lots of books and documents."

"Some kinda library, I guess," Barret rumbled.

Jamison shrugged. "You could say that. Anyway, you all should get going. We don't want anyone getting suspicious."

"Right," Tifa agreed. "And thank you."

He nodded, and we stood up, ready to move on. It wasn't crowded, really, but there was still a handful of other people nearby, either sitting and eating or walking around, while a few others gazed wonderingly at that huge tree. Taking one last look at it myself for just a moment, I led Tifa and Barret over toward the elevators.

We were almost there when I suddenly heard footsteps coming up behind us. I whirled around, the others doing the same, and saw one of those Shinra soldiers hurrying toward us. I tensed up, afraid we'd been caught somehow, but then I saw he hadn't brought up his rifle. Looked like he wanted to talk instead of fight.

"Holy shit! Cloud, is that you?" he said, his jaw dropping.

I blinked. "Uh, yeah…"

He laughed. "Hey, it's cool, bro. We went through training together, remember? Thought that was you back in Sector 8 last week. That was totally wicked how you jumped on that train! Sorry we went after you, by the way. It was just a total mess back there."

"Sure, I guess…" I said, grabbing the side my head as pain flared in it again as if I'd just been hit by a hammer.

"You're still alive and kicking, huh?" the soldier went on. "Damn! I knew it! Some of the guys heard you got smoked, but I told 'em it was a load of bullshit! I gotta tell Kunsel soon as he gets back! He'll be glad to know you're alright. See you later, man!"

Then he was gone, hurrying away toward the cafe, and the pain left at almost the same time. I let go of my head and watched him leave, my mind filled with more questions than answers. Who was that guy? And how had he known who I was? Although there was something familiar about him, I couldn't figure it out.

"You okay?" Tifa wondered, gazing at me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

She frowned. "But you were—"

"I'm good, Tifa," I told her. "Let's just keep moving."

"Guy seemed like he knew you," Barret said as we started walking. "So is he an old buddy or somethin'?"

I shrugged. "No idea."

"And what about Kunsel?" Tifa asked. "You don't know him, either, right? That's what you told us before."

I didn't. "Yeah, I don't. Never met him."

She sighed as she pressed the button to call the elevator. "Hmm… I suppose we can figure it out later."

"You alright?" I asked as the doors opened.

"What?" Tifa blinked. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine, Cloud. Why?"

I followed her inside. "You seem a little on edge."

"Well, look at where we are," she smirked. "Smack in the middle of the Shinra Building. Not exactly a vacation spot."

Barret chuckled. "You got that right."

But as we slowly rode the elevator up to the 62nd floor, I wondered if it was more than that. The difference between what I knew and what that Shinra soldier seemed to believe bothered me, but it seemed like it had upset Tifa even more. I didn't know why, though, so I put it out of my mind as we continued our rescue mission.


	13. TWELVE

## TWELVE

A man was waiting for us as soon as we got off the elevator. He was older, with his short, graying hair pulled back from his face and a wide, matching beard covering his jaw styled into three points over his chin. He wore a crisp, cream-colored suit jacket, a dark blue buttoned vest, a white collared shirt, and a deep red tie. On his legs were a pair of olive green pants and brown leather boots.

"Greetings and welcome," he said, bowing as he spoke. "Avalanche, I presume? We've been expecting you. My name is Hart, Deputy Mayor of Midgar, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I've come here to escort you to Mayor Domino himself, per his request."

I exchanged a surprised glance with Cloud and Barret, then looked back at Hart. "The mayor? _He's_ Marissa's contact?"

"Yes, that's correct," Hart said.

"That empty suit?" Barret scowled. "He's jus' a mouthpiece spewin' Shinra's bullshit. You sayin' he's really with us?"

Then it hit me. "Mr. D! That's him! From the note!"

"D for Domino," Cloud realized.

"Indeed," Hart said. "Your instincts are sound. He's a friend, after a fashion. And the mayor of our dear Midgar, the most magnificent city ever built. He is also your only means of rescuing the Ancient. But he'll want to discuss that with you himself."

Cloud nodded. "Lead on."

We went left and followed Hart down a long hallway past a pair of doors on our right, then turned at an intersection and went up another corridor. It looked like there were several different rooms on this floor, but unlike the lower levels, the walls were made of polished wood, and the floor was covered in soft, dark red carpet. It was so quiet here that I could easily believe this was a library.

The halls were lined with shelves and shelves of books, and I knew there had to be even more in the rooms themselves. As we passed a few more intersections, I glanced at some of the titles and saw they covered a wide variety of subjects, everything from history and science to mako energy and even space travel.

Barret scratched his head. "Look at this place! So the mayor's some kinda crazy bookworm or somethin'?"

"Seems that way," I agreed.

Hart led us through a small alcove on our left tucked away toward the back and then to another door just inside. The words "Office of the Mayor" were imprinted on the dark metal in stark, black letters. As we approached it, Hart tapped a few buttons on a panel mounted onto the wall, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.

He gestured to us. "Please enter. The mayor is waiting."

We did, and as soon as we were inside, the door closed behind us. I looked around, surprised at how small the place was. I'd thought that a mayor's office would've been much bigger, but this was practically tiny. A bit high-tech for a library, too. The walls here were metal, and above a thicket of computer monitors and blinking control panels, the Shinra logo frowned down at us. There was also a desk nearby covered with a stack of papers and a fountain pen.

Domino turned away from his assorted computer screens when he heard us come in. He wore a light brown business suit, a white collared shirt, a black tie, a red vest with two rows of round gold buttons, and a pair of polished black shoes. In his right hand, he held an elegant cane, a black shaft with a silver top and bottom.

He was totally bald, and the only hair I could see on his head came from his pointed gray beard and wide, sweeping moustache, which he stroked thoughtfully as he looked at us with his dark eyes. Not exactly what I'd expected. He seemed… a little odd.

"So you finally made it," he greeted us. "Wonderful! I am Cornelius Domino, mayor of Midgar, the great mako metropolis, at your service. I must say, however, that the three of you haven't exactly been discreet on your way here. That's where I come in."

Cloud frowned. "You've been watching us?"

Domino nodded. "Indeed. You're lucky no one else has. You nearly got caught a few times, and not just on the way to the escalator. Walked right in front of half the security cameras in this place, too. But do you hear the alarm? No? You're welcome. So just think of me as your ace in the hole. Avalanche's man on the inside."

"Say what?" Barret blinked.

"Oh, come on," Domino sighed. "Is it really such a surprise? You've seen where they've put me and what they've reduced me to. The mayor of the greatest city in the world tucked away in a secret broom closet in the damned archives! The nerve!"

Barret grinned. "Well, this oughta make things easier."

"Mr. Mayor," I said. "When we were on the 60th floor, we did have a couple of close calls. But someone or something helped us out. It kept the guards distracted so we could sneak past them to the escalators. Do you know who or what that was?"

Domino chuckled. "Indeed I do, young lady. Unfortunately, I can't tell you. It's not for me to reveal that information. Let's just say that I'm not your only source of inside help."

I wasn't surprised. "I understand. Would you thank him for us? We really appreciate it, whoever he is."

"That I can do," he agreed. "But now let's direct our attention to the matter at hand. You need to break into Hojo's lab to free the Ancient. I can get you as far as the 65th floor."

"What? That's the best you can do?" Barret scowled.

Cloud stared. "But you're the mayor."

"Does this _look_ like a mayor's office!?" Domino growled. "I'm just a glorified librarian, nothing more! I don't even get invited to their board meetings! Sorting records and reports—that's all I do! My fingers have more paper cuts than skin! No one knows my pain, my daily torment! I endure it all, though, for the sake of Midgar."

"Jus' calm down man, awright? Deep breaths," Barret said.

I folded my arms in front of me. "They've hurt you just like they've hurt us. We get that, Mr. Mayor. And we'll make it right. But we have a friend in need. Two of them, actually."

Domino took a breath and composed himself. "Yes, I know. While you were busy climbing the stairs, Marissa called me and explained the situation. Shinra may think they own me, but they don't. I just play the part of the doddering old fool to keep them off guard. I've seen to your escape route, and your transportation is ready."

"The Hardy?" Cloud asked.

"It's safely in place, along with another vehicle that I've secured for you," he said. "A light blue pickup. Mint condition, full tank of gas, and hardly any miles on it. You'll find it on the first floor lobby behind that large glass sign with the Shinra logo on it."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. You have the keys?"

"I do," Domino answered. "However, you'll have to earn them _and_ your ticket upstairs. Like I said in my letter, it's nothing difficult, just a small test. It'll take more than brawn to pull this mission off, so I want to see how clever you Avalanche folks really are."

"What is it?" Cloud wondered.

Domino went on. "It's quite simple, really. Just guess the password. Get it on the first try and I'll throw in something extra as well. A little item I swiped from the Weapons Development Division a while back. I suspect you can make more use of it than me."

Barret scowled. "How the hell we s'posedta do that?"

"There are four main libraries in the archives," Domino explained. "And my password is four letters long. I've had Hart take four volumes and mix them up, putting them in the wrong libraries. Your job will be to find them. Each contains a letter of the password in its title, and the shelf number will tell you which one."

Cloud nodded. "So, if the shelf number's 4, check the fourth letter in the title. And so on. That about right?"

"Exactly," Domino said.

"Must be dozensa books up here!" Barret muttered. "It's gonna take forever to track down the ones we need."

I didn't think so. "No, they'll stand out somehow. The mayor _wants_ us to find them. We can do this. And I've got a feeling our little friend's going to help us out, too. It'll be alright."

"Indeed," Domino said. "He's probably already out there."

Cloud turned to us. "Then let's go. The faster we get this done, the faster we can get to Aerith and save her."

Barret and I followed him back out into the hall, and we made our way to the closest of the libraries. The plaque next to the door showed it was a research archive for Shinra's Weapons Development and Peace Preservation Divisions. Inside stood rows and rows of wooden shelves full of books along each side of the room, with a number imprinted on the end of each one up near the top.

"Spread out," Cloud said. "Gotta find that book."

I moved to the first row. "Right. It'll be about something other than weapons and military operations."

Barret sighed. "Least we know where to start."

It didn't take as long as he'd thought. We slowly looked over each of the shelves, Cloud and I taking one side while Barret did the other. The books all looked pretty much the same—thick volumes bound in hard, red leather covers with the titles on the spines.

But then, a few rows down, I suddenly stopped when I came across a book that clearly didn't belong here. Unlike the rest that I'd seen, this one's cover was yellow, not red. I pulled it out and looked at the title. It was about the mako reactors. Nothing to do with what this library was intended for. We'd found our first clue!

"Guys!" I called to Cloud and Barret. "Over here!"

Barret's face lit up. "Found it, did ya?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Take a look."

"Reactor Construction Charts," Cloud read the title. "Nice job, Tif. Shelf number's 5, so that would be…"

"T!" I finished for him.

Barret scratched his head. "Well, that's one so far."

I put the book back on the shelf. "Then let's go find the rest. We're done in here now. Only three left."

We hurried back into the hall, went left, and made our way over to the next library. This one covered the Space Exploration Division. Like the first archive, it had rows of shelves on either side of the room along with a few reading tables. The books here looked just like the rest we'd seen so far except that their covers were a bright lime green. We moved to start our search, splitting up like last time.

I was just walking down the second row when I heard a soft thump from the next one. Letting out a little gasp of surprise, I hurried around the corner just in time to see one of the books fall off the shelf as a long black tail sped out of sight. I went after it, ignoring the book, but it was just too fast, and all I caught was a glimpse of an air vent in the ceiling toward the back of the room closing behind it.

"So that's how you're getting around…" I murmured.

"Tifa?" Cloud asked, catching up to me.

I pointed at the air vent. "Our little friend showed up again. Didn't see who he was, but he pushed a book off the shelf."

"I got it here," Barret said, joining us.

The cover was red. "Special Peacekeeping Laws. Hmm… looks like it belongs back in the other room."

He nodded. "Yeah. Lil' guy gave us a hand."

"Sure did," I agreed. "Let's see, it was in the third row, so that would be… E. So we've got T and E so far."

"Not necessarily in that order," Cloud pointed out.

That was true. "Right. Could be the other way around. Maybe even a letter in between them. Wait a minute…"

He blinked. "What is it?"

"I think…" On a hunch, I took out Domino's letter and looked at it again. Then my eyes widened. "Guys, I got it!"

"Got what?" Barret wondered.

I showed them the note. "The password! It was right in front of us the whole time! Domino gave it to us!"

Cloud read where I pointed. "Your BEST friend…"

"Do you see it?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "BEST. Now I know why he wrote it like that. It was there all along, Tif. That's gotta be it."

Barret frowned. "You sure? We still two letters short."

"Positive," I said. "Trust me!"

Cloud smiled a little. "I do. Let's go with it."

With a grin and knowing I was right, I led us out of the library. We hurried past Hart and back into Domino's office, where he was waiting for us. He turned around from watching his monitors as we entered, an expectant smirk on his face, and took a few steps toward us, the foot of his cane tapping on the floor as he moved.

"Well, young lady," he chuckled, "you look quite like the proverbial cat that just swallowed the equally proverbial canary. I can only assume you've got the password. What might it be?"

I didn't hesitate. "BEST. It was on the note."

Domino nodded. "Very good. I was wondering if you'd see it. That was the real test, of course. Not that I'd have withheld your items if you had figured it out the long way. I'd still have given them to you. But you all are much more clever than I thought. I suppose it just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover."

"The hell's that s'posedta mean?" Barret growled.

"Oh, don't take it personally," Domino assured him. "But you don't exactly look like brain surgeons, you know. In any event, BEST is quite correct. I just love the sound of it! BEST! I _am_ the best! Me! No matter what anyone else says, you'd better believe it!"

Cloud sighed. "Whatever."

Domino shrugged, lowering his arms from where he'd spread them out wide. "Well, alright. Hand me your keycard."

"Here," Cloud gave it to him.

"This will only take a moment," Domino said, scanning it with one of those small devices, the same kind Jamison had used. "There we are. Now you can go as high as the 65th floor. And I do believe I owe you a bonus for guessing the password on the first try."

Cloud took the keycard back. "That's right. What is it?"

Domino took a small, glowing blue orb from the pocket of his suit. "Elemental materia. Quite a handy little thing."

"Yeah," Cloud agreed, taking it. "Use it in a linked slot and it'll add the connected materia's element to your attacks or defense, depending on where you've got it equipped. Thanks."

"My pleasure. And I have something else for you."

I blinked. "Another reward?"

Domino opened a drawer in his desk and took out a small band of polished red steel decorated with a skillfully shaped flame. "Yes, I think you deserve it for catching onto the truth of my little game, young lady. So here you are—a blaze ring. It's an artifact of the Ancients. As long as you wear it, you'll be completely protected from any and all manner of fire, no matter how hot or intense."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed. "Where did you get it?"

It shimmered in the light as I took off my right glove for a moment and slipped it on my ring finger. Warmth radiated from the metal band and slightly heated my skin, but it didn't bother me. I gazed at the ring for a moment, then put my glove back on.

Domino smiled. "Well, like I told you before, I have a little habit of sneaking up into the Science Division and making off with interesting baubles like that. It's quite fun, actually. At least, I did until my keycard access was reduced. Now I'm shut out."

"How do we get past the 65th floor?" Cloud wondered.

"The Shinra museum is located up there," Domino answered. "And it's full of holograms and displays. There's even a complete scale model of Midgar. So make your way through the exhibit, and when you get to the end, insert your keycard into the replica of the Shinra Building and it'll be updated to let you access the 66th floor."

Cloud nodded. "Understood."

Domino gave him the keys. "And these are for your transportation. You might be interested to know that there's a board meeting tonight. I hear the Ancient will be discussed, so you might want to be a fly on the wall for that. Should be interesting. I don't get included in these things anymore, but I've still got ears in this place."

"Upstairs, I take it?" Cloud asked.

"66th floor, main conference room," Domino confirmed. "In about half an hour. You won't be able to just walk in the doors, of course, but I'm sure there's a way for you to eavesdrop. I've heard it smells in there for some reason. Couldn't tell you why, though."

I pumped my fist. "We'll be there."

Domino nodded. "Very good. Go make those Shinra pricks suffer! Except for Reeve Tuesti, Director of the Urban Development Division. He's a friend, and also the only one of Shinra's top level executives who spoke out against dropping the Sector 7 plate. Unfortunately, however, he was overruled. President Shinra and General Heidegger went ahead with it anyway, as you no doubt know."

"Yeah, we saw what went down," Barret muttered. "Sure as shit. An' I mean to explain it to 'em, if ya catch my drift."

I glared at him. "Barret…"

Fortunately, Cloud intervened before Barret could really get going with his tirade. Not that it wasn't justified, but we had more important things to worry about right now than payback. I wasn't going to forget what they'd done, though. And we were definitely going to make them answer for it when the time was right.

"We will, but not tonight," Cloud said, his eyes on Mayor Domino. "Marissa told you why we're here. We have two friends to save, and one of them's dying. We'll deal with Shinra later."

Domino sighed. "Ah, yes. You'd better get going, then. Best of luck, my friends. As long as you cause Shinra some pain during your rescue, I can live with that. Did you know, I met this Jessica of yours once. Not when she was still here, ironically, but after she left."

"You did?" I stared at him.

"Indeed," he answered. "Opening night at LOVELESS. Magnificent performance, I must say. Reeve and I personally congratulated her and the rest of the cast backstage after the show."

Cloud folded his arms in front of him. "Did you realize it was her? Heidegger's daughter, I mean."

Domino shook his head. "No, not then. Jessica had done a fine job disguising herself. I never even suspected she was the same quiet office girl I'd seen here in passing from time to time but had never spoken to. I figured it out on my own eventually, but I never said a word about it. She must've had her reasons for leaving, and I knew the kind of terrible man her father was. So I kept it to myself."

"Thank you," I told him.

"My pleasure, young lady," Domino smiled. "Now I think you need to go. I'm well aware of Jessica's condition, and it would be a shame for such a lovely and talented young girl to die. And for another to be held in a cage like an animal. So go and save them. Of course, it can't hurt to give Shinra some grief while you're at it!"

Cloud handed me the keys to the truck as we left. "Here, hold onto these, Tif. We'll need to be ready."

"Right," I agreed, putting them in my pocket.

"Next stop, 63rd floor," he went on.

I understood. "Jessie's pendant. Marissa told us she hid it inside an air duct in the control room, remember?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "We'll find it. Now let's mosey."

I hurried with him and Barret back to the elevator. Worry for Jessie lingered in my mind, and I knew that she'd only be able to hold out for so long before it was too late. I wasn't giving up, though. Not a chance. The best thing I could do for her now was to help rescue Aerith, so that was exactly what I intended to do.

* * *

The 63rd floor was quiet as walked out of the elevator, a lot like the libraries downstairs. We were in a long hallway with sealed doors and a number of branching passages. It didn't take us long to find the control room, though. It was just across the hall and a little ways down. One of the only unlocked doors I'd seen here.

I led Tifa and Barret inside and wondered what it must've been like for Jessie when she was here. Difficult, to say the least. The console was on the far wall, with a dispenser unit standing alongside it. And on the left, tucked away in the corner on the other side of the console, was the air duct Marissa had told us about. I figured it must've been some sort of maintenance entry because it was bigger than the others we'd seen so far and stretched up to the ceiling.

"Looks like this is the place," Tifa said.

I took off the cover. "Yeah. It's big enough to stand inside. Just wait a moment, I'm gonna check it out."

Not waiting for her to answer, I leaned Buster against the wall and crawled into the air duct. It was a little cramped, but I got inside easily enough. Then I reached up and started feeling around for the pendant. The duct bent at a right angle just above my head and went off through the building's interior like a tunnel. At first I didn't find anything, but a moment or two later, my fingers brushed lightly across something thin and metal. Felt like a small chain of some kind.

I carefully grabbed hold of it and stepped out of the air duct to get a better look, feeling the weight of the pendant settling in my hand as I did. It was made of mythril and had been skillfully shaped like a small, five-pointed star with a fine silver chain hanging in a loop from the top point. The whole thing was light, almost weightless, and glittered softly in my hand as I held it and thought of Jessie.

"It's beautiful," Tifa marveled.

I couldn't deny that. "It is. So who's gonna wear it?"

Her answer was immediate. "It should be you, Cloud. Jessie would want you to have it. You've made her so happy."

"Girl's got a point," Barret agreed.

Tifa was right, of course. I closed my fingers over the pendant for a moment, thinking of Jessie as I remembered all of the experiences we'd shared together. The night we first met, when I had saved her from the Vice goons who had ambushed her. Going with her on her trips across the slums and taking out a nest of eaters. Helping her in Reactor 1. Our quiet talk on the train. Watching the monitor together. Parachuting off the plate and sharing a passionate kiss. Learning how to do a fist bump. Desperately flying to her rescue in the pillar.

As I opened my eyes and slowly hung the star pendant around my neck, I felt as if Jessie was with me. A part of her, at least. I gazed at her glittering gift, my resolve to save her deepening as I did. Then I tucked it carefully inside my shirt so it lay against my skin. Like last night back in the slums, I could almost hear her calling out to me in my mind. She and Aerith both, calling out for help.

And I was sure as hell going to answer.

"Alright, we've got what we came for," I said. "Be sure to keep your antidotes handy. We're getting close."

Barret patted his pocket. "We ready, Cloud."

I nodded. "Good. Then let's—"

A soft rustling in the air duct cut me off, and I whirled around just in time to see two thick strips of paper tumble to the floor in front of it as part of what looked like a small white glove darted back inside. Our unseen helper was still with us. I quickly looked inside the duct, but he or she or it was already long gone.

"Anything?" Tifa asked.

I sighed and came back out. "No. It's pretty fast, whatever it is. Any idea what it left for us this time?"

She picked up the papers and looked at them. "Hmm… these look like exchange coupons. But what for?"

"Hey, guys!" Barret said. "Over here! Check it out!"

He was at the console, and as Tifa and I joined him, we saw that it was active. The title across the top identified it as the Materials Storage Access Program. Not only had it been left on, but whoever had done it had also logged in already, conveniently giving us access to whatever it was that we could do on here.

I looked at the screen. "Looks like you're right, Tifa. Those slips are used to check out items from storage. Apparently, they get changed on a regular basis depending on what's needed. Let's see… looks like we're in luck. We can get a Magnify materia and a magician's bracelet. Pretty good haul, actually. Little guy's been busy."

"Score!" Tifa cheered.

Inserting the coupons into the slot below the monitor, we managed to get both items. They dropped into the dispenser unit by the console a moment later, a glowing blue orb and a thick silver bracelet with four single materia slots. Since I'd already placed the Elemental materia that we'd gotten from Domino into Buster's other slot and had connected it to my Lightning materia, I handed Barret the second Magnify materia. Tifa still had the one Wedge had given me back in the underplate early yesterday on our way to Reactor 5.

I saw Barret had a mythril bangle, too. "Nice upgrade."

"Picked it up offa one'a them Shinra goons we fought when we was climbin' the plate," he answered as he put the Magnify materia in place and linked it to his Fire materia. "Pretty shiny, ain't it?"

"Sure is!" Tifa chuckled, holding up her own.

I tucked the magician's bracelet into my pocket. "Since Aerith's got the strongest magic out of all of us, I figure we should save this for her. She'll fight too once we break her loose."

Tifa nodded. "Right. It'll be good to have her back."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Let's go get her."

We left the control room and headed back to the elevators, having found not only Jessie's gift but also an unexpected bonus from our little friend. Those tickets must've been somewhere else on this floor, and he had gone and saved us the legwork of finding them ourselves as well as precious time. We weren't going to waste it.

There was nothing we needed on the 64th floor—that was Shinra's recreation facility, according to the directory listing posted next to the elevator doors, so I hit the button for the 65th floor once we got inside. That was where we'd find the museum, and it wouldn't take long to get through it and get our keycard updated. As we rode upstairs, though, I couldn't help wondering how Aerith was doing. I knew she would hold out, though. No matter what it took.


	14. THIRTEEN

## THIRTEEN

"Ah, my precious specimen…" Hojo wheezed.

Although I wanted to growl, I kept silent. I would not give him the pleasure of seeing me react to his words. Instead, I stared coldly at him with my good eye as I sat on my haunches within the thick, cylindrical glass chamber that had been my world for the past year. I didn't move, aside from the almost involuntary way my tail would often drift about, the flame at its tip reflected in the glass walls of my prison, and I might as well have been a statue for all the response I provided. Hojo stared at me, his dark eyes greedy and calculating.

He was pale, thin, and slightly hunched, with a long white lab coat, dark clothes, slightly opaque glasses, and black hair tied into a thin tail that hung down his back. I had come to expect his visits and tests, but I didn't like them at all. The only means I had, for now at least, to retain some measure of control in this place was to refuse to go along with his twisted games and experiments as much as possible. Hojo was aware of how intelligent I was, of course, and I had caused him a good measure of frustration with my unwillingness to show it.

He went on. "Come now, Red XIII. You and I both know quite well that you are no mere animal. Also that you are the last of your kind. A pity, really. But don't despair. We can still preserve your wondrous race and ensure that it will not die with you. In fact, my procedure will save another nearly extinct species as well."

I knew better than to believe him, however. In my time here, I had been poked, prodded, and more. It filled my days, and it never seemed to end. I had been brought to the upper level of Hojo's lab today, which was also called the Drum. Most of the time, he kept me downstairs for observation, and I was due to be returned there soon. That was where I spent most of my time in this horrid place.

But Hojo had been unusually excited today and had kept babbling on about a new specimen that had just arrived. And for some reason, I was to be part of his experiments with… whatever it was. I hadn't been here in the Drum very long, but I knew this area well. It was filled with glass cylinders similar to the one that contained me. Some were empty, but others were occupied, most with all manner of Hojo's twisted, ugly creations, bizarre mutations and monsters. The walls were metal, and a pale blue glow hung in the air. I hated it.

It was then that I noticed for the first time that one of the cylinders held not a monster, but a young woman. It was directly across from me about twenty feet away. She was sitting on a stool, her hands in her lap and her head slightly down. Her light pink dress, short red jacket, long braid of chestnut brown hair, and small, slender hands were very out of place in this chilly, sterile facility but also quite vibrant. The girl hadn't seen me yet, though, for her eyes were closed as if in prayer or perhaps contemplation. She was holding together well.

Hojo noticed me looking at her. "Ah, I see you've found our newest specimen. A rare and magnificent breed, much like her mother. Watch her closely. If the procedure is successful, she will surely bear you a fine and healthy cub. And thus, both of your races will survive. Interspecies mating rituals are so fascinating to observe."

I barely managed to keep my claws sheathed. _This_ was his plan? To breed us—myself and the girl? It was monstrous, terrible, and I had no intention of going through with it. I knew the girl would refuse to be a part of it as well. She hadn't moved, but I was certain she'd heard every word that Hojo had spoken to me. The only reaction I saw her give was a slight twitch of her fingers. That was all.

Hojo smiled cruelly. "If you will excuse me, I must go see my prize specimen now. Feel free to observe us if you wish, however. She is quite marvelous indeed. But vulnerable as well."

Then he turned and walked over to see the girl in her glass prison. She looked up and opened her eyes to reveal a pair of irises that were a deep, vibrant green, like shimmering emeralds. Hojo stood before her, but I noticed that he kept himself slightly off to the side so that I could see all that happened between them.

"How are you enjoying your accommodations thus far, Aerith?" he asked. She didn't answer. "A trifle sparse, I'll admit, but you should find them familiar. It's been so long. Fifteen years now. You've grown since I last saw you, my dear. Yes, you have…"

He paused for a moment to watch her. Aerith didn't react, much as I hadn't when he had spoken to me. She simply sat there, fully upright, and met his gaze without flinching. Hojo rubbed his chin thoughtfully before stepping a little closer to her.

"So, about this precious promised land of yours," he went on. "You misunderstand my intentions. The only reason I help to satisfy Shinra's endless material greed is so I can be left alone to pursue my great work. That is, _our_ great work. You're going to help me, my dear, whether you wish it or not. As you well know."

Again, Aerith remained silent, so Hojo leaned forward, his narrow face almost touching the glass as he scrutinized her. "You're the spitting image of your mother, did you know that? A pity she didn't trust me. If she hadn't tried to run, things might've played out quite differently. She wouldn't have had to die, Aerith. How terribly tragic, to lose the last of the pure-blooded Ancients… but not completely."

I blinked. The girl was an Ancient? That certainly explained Hojo's interest in her. I'd thought they were extinct. But this girl seemed to be one of them. She looked away for just a moment at the mention of her mother. I had lost my own many years ago, so I understood all too well how difficult the reminder must've been for Aerith. She fixed her gaze defiantly back on Hojo a moment later.

His next words chilled my blood. "Would you like to see her again? Albeit through the lens of one of my microscopes. Did you really think we'd leave her to rot in the gutter? We collected, sorted, and catalogued every last bit of that precious specimen—hair, skin, organs, bones—all of it as breathtaking as in life! As in you, my dear! Ifalna was perfection and elegance, right down to her cellular structure. And there it is again, in you. That very same elegance."

I let out a low growl before I could stop myself while Hojo cackled softly. Aerith's face paled, and her hands trembled slightly, but she kept silent and showed no other reaction. I admired her composure. After a moment, Hojo took his phone from his coat pocket as he got a message of some kind. Apparently, he didn't like it, because he curled his lip in a disgusted sneer and hissed through his teeth.

"Oh, yes… another meeting," he grimaced. Then he looked back at Aerith. "Just sit tight. I won't be long."

Then he was gone, walking away and out of the room. There was a hall there with an elevator—I could see glimpses of it whenever anyone entered or left the lab—and Hojo left to go downstairs, presumably for that meeting he'd spoken of. Once the door had closed behind him and we were alone, Aerith let out a small gasp and leaned forward, holding herself and looking down. It seemed her strength had finally given out, at least for the time being. I looked at her, curious and little worried. It couldn't have been easy for her to hear Hojo's words.

After a moment's thought, I decided to break my silence and reach out to her. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" she blinked, looking up at me. "So you _can_ talk."

"Yes. How did you know?" I wondered.

Aerith smiled a little. "Just a hunch. You're so different from all the other things Hojo has here. Not scary at all."

"Thank you," I told her.

"Sure," she replied. "So, um… you've probably heard it already, but my name's Aerith. What's yours? I kinda doubt it's really Red XIII. That sounds like something Hojo thought up."

It was. "That's true. I have another name. But I don't share it often. I haven't had the best experiences with you two-legs. At least, those not of my hometown. So just call me Red XIII."

Aerith pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm… sounds kinda cold and sterile, to be honest. Like this lab. So how about we tweak it a bit, make it warmer? Let's see… Red! How's that?"

"Much better," I admitted. "I think I like it."

She nodded. "Great! It fits you, makes you seem more like a person than a lab experiment. And speaking of that, I heard what Hojo said to you. About what he means to do with us."

I had figured as much. "Don't worry. I hate it, too."

"Glad to hear it," Aerith said. Then she smirked. "No offense, Red, but you're not really my type."

I didn't mind. "None taken. Neither are you mine."

She chuckled. "Good. Because this isn't exactly the ideal place for a date. Not that we could do much here. Still… it's nice to have someone to talk to, you know? Makes it not so lonely."

"Yes, it is," I agreed. "I'm glad for the company."

Aerith smiled. "Me too. How long have you been here?"

I sighed. "Too long. A year, maybe a little more."

"I'm sorry," she said, placing her hand on the thick glass wall of her cell. "You must miss your home a lot."

"I do, Aerith. Very much," I murmured.

She straightened. "Don't worry. My friends are coming to save me, and I know they'll help you, too. They'll be here soon, and we'll escape together, Red. That's a promise. And once we're free and far away from here, I'd love to hear all about your home."

"Then you shall," I promised as an idea began to form in my mind at her words. "It is a beautiful place, Aerith. The most wondrous in the world. In the meantime, however, I'm to be sent back downstairs soon. But before I have to leave, there's something I'd like to know first. If the situation calls for it, can you pretend to be afraid?"

Aerith nodded. "Yeah. I have an old friend who could probably do it better—she used to be an actress—but I think I can pull it off. Might not exactly be an award-winning performance, but it should get the job done, just the same. Why do you ask?"

I gazed at her intently. "Because I have a plan."

* * *

We found ourselves in a lobby when we stepped off the elevators. A hall stretched off to the right at the bottom of the room and probably led to the escalators while another went left, and in front of us was the museum entrance. Barret and Tifa were on either side of me, and as we went inside, my nose curled in disgust.

In the middle of the first room was a huge gold statue of President Shinra, and every exhibit and display in here was about him, all of it in the most glowing, gushing way possible. Photos, items, video clips, and more. It was totally nauseating, and my fingers clenched into a fist as I thought of all the people that were dead because of his plan to drop the plate. Jessie was dying thanks to him.

Suddenly, a translucent blue hologram of a chirpy, energetic young woman appeared in front us. "Welcome to the Shinra Building! This is our humble home! Isn't it great?"

"Oh, _hell_ no…" Barret muttered.

The automated narrator went on. "Here in the Memorial Museum, you can learn all about our president, the esteemed Rogan Eliot Shinra, as well as the various divisions in the company. And of course, the city of Midgar and the miracle of mako energy. Whatever takes your fancy, you're sure to learn something new!"

Barret snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Jus' shut the hell up already."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Tifa murmured.

"When you're ready to move on," the narrator said, "just slide your keycard through the scanner by the door, and it'll open right up so you can go see our next amazing exhibit!"

The hologram winked out, and we headed toward the door leading into the next area. The room was pretty big, though, with that hideous statue dominating the whole place, so it took a minute to cross it. And as much as we wanted to ignore them, we couldn't keep from glancing at a few of the exhibits on the way. All of them were the same sickening lies and propaganda we knew from Shinra.

"Man thinks very highly of himself," Barret snorted.

Tifa nodded. "He's terrible…"

The next hall was lined with holographic displays showing several different areas of Midgar, all from the upper city. They shifted, pulsed, and changed every few seconds. The guide's annoyingly cheerful voice came on through the overhead speakers as we made our way further. I sighed and did my best to ignore it.

"Hey, everybody!" the guide said. "Enjoying the grand tour so far? Wasn't it fun to learn about Shinra and our esteemed president? And to get a peek at his mementos? Super cool, huh?"

"Like hell it is," Barret growled.

The guide ignored him. "Now, moving along! The next exhibit will teach you about the important work we do here. You'll get a closer look at our primary divisions! Each of them has several secondary divisions, too—for example, Systems Operation is a secondary division of Urban Development. But we'll just focus on the main ones here. I hope you're ready to be amazed, because you simply won't believe all the incredible adventures we have in store for you!"

The door ahead of us slid open, and we stepped into another large room. This one had assorted displays of equipment, weapons, machine parts, and more, with life-size holograms of the five executive directors amidst them. They stood quietly here and there around the area, like a set of statues made of light and energy.

Tifa gazed at the displays. "This looks familiar…"

Barret nodded. "Yeah, 'cause we've destroyed a buncha these things already. Trashed their metal asses."

He was right. Many of the parts were from mechs like the ones we had fought in the reactors and at the warehouse. I saw a sweeper's arm, an inactive monodrive, a slug-ray, a grunt's clawed gauntlet, and more. Tifa read the sign next to what looked like a prototype of the Valkyrie, then blinked and looked at us in surprise.

"Jessie made this…" she said. "I mean, she designed it."

Barret sighed. "Thought it was hers. Gotta admit, she did a helluva job on it. Too bad it got away from us."

Tifa pointed to the sign. "Yeah. We'll get it, though. See what it says here? Developed by Jessica Heidegger. Lead Designer, Shinra Weapons Development Division. Wow… according to the date on this, Jessie was only seventeen at the time. It looks like there might've been some early versions before this, but she completely redid it."

"Girl's definitely a genius, ain't she?" Barret marveled.

"Yeah, she really is," Tifa agreed. "Too bad we can't trash this thing for her, though. I'm sure she hates how Shinra's misused her designs to cause so much pain and death. I know I do."

Stepping close to the Valkyrie prototype, I drew Buster and slashed the mech to pieces in a few quick cuts while Barret and Tifa just stood there gaping at me. When I was finished and the Shinra drone was just a pile of scrap at our feet, I shouldered Buster and looked at the others, the corner of my mouth turning up.

"Oops," I smirked.

Tifa smiled. "Thanks, Cloud. That'll make her happy."

Barret chuckled. "You awright, merc."

"Uh, yeah…" I looked away. "We'd better go."

It looked like we had to activate each of the directors' holograms in order to move forward and access the next area of the museum. There was a card scanner set next to each one. Scarlet's was the closest, and as I slid the keycard through the slot, she started talking. Her voice was as icy and cold as ever, just like on the TV in Sector 5 yesterday. Her dress was slitted, tight-fitting, and blood red.

"Welcome to the Shinra Building," she spat. "I am Vera Scarlet. You are a nuisance. As the director of the Weapons Development Division, I oversee the creation of the most advanced weaponry ever seen. All in the service of Shinra, to keep you and the rest of our citizens safe from any who would threaten us. Midgar _will_ be protected. And _anyone_ who dares to stand against us _will_ regret it."

"Charmin' woman," Barret grimaced. "Musta been tough for Jessie to work under that frigid bitch."

I nodded. "Had to be. And she did it for years."

Tifa frowned. "I'll be sure to remember that when I deliver Scarlet her knuckle sandwich with a side of pain."

"Now that'll be a sight to see!" Barret grinned.

We moved on, coming to displays about the space program. Charts of stars and planets along with parts from some kind of rocket engine. The next hologram was a short, pudgy older man in a suit the color of dark mustard and a hideously bright yellow tie. Tufts of gray hair grew on either side of his bald head, with another one in the middle, and he had a pair of beady, pale blue eyes.

"Wait, what?" he blinked when I activated the hologram. "I have to read this paper here? Just a moment… ahem… Welcome to the Shinra Building. The Space Exploration Division has taken rocket systems for military applications and adapted them to aid in searching for new and precious resources out in the infinite reaches of space. That being said, since we have plenty of mako at present, those plans are… currently on hold. Bit of a shame, really. Oh, my! I forgot to introduce myself! How embarrassing! I'm Director Willard Palmer."

Barret folded his arms in front of him. "I heard he does nothin' but sit on his ass all day since his program got scrapped."

"Something about a failed rocket launch," Tifa added.

"There was an old one that crashed into Aerith's church," I said. "It was a test model or something. Probably not what made Shinra cancel their plans for going to space, though."

The next section was devoted to the Science Division, with various exhibits showing the different things they did there. Nothing about the monsters we knew they were making, though. No way they'd have had _that_ on the tour. A hologram of Hojo was nearby, and I shivered when he started talking in a soft, eerie wheeze. It was almost… familiar. But I was sure I'd never met him before.

He sighed. "Welcome to the Shinra Building. I am Dr. Hojo. As the director of the Science Division, my duties are almost certainly beyond your comprehension. So there will be no presentation, as it would be a waste of my time and yours. Rest assured, however, that we are making great strides. Albeit, not at this particular moment, because I'm filming this rubbish instead. And now, I believe I've wasted quite enough of my precious time as it is. Science waits for no one, and you least of all. My important research awaits me. So, good day."

"Creepy…" Tifa shuddered.

I nodded. "No kidding. He's the one who's got Aerith. So we'll have to find him and make him let her go."

Barret grimaced. "Ain't gonna be easy, merc."

"I know," I said. "But we've gotta do it. She and Jessie need us. And I don't plan on letting them down."

"Likewise," Tifa agreed.

Barret pumped his fist. "Damn straight!"

Peace Preservation was the next area, lined with assorted gear and weapons used by Shinra soldiers. There was also that grunt's claw that I had noticed earlier along with one of their suits and metal helmets. As I looked over it all, Tifa's eyes narrowed. She leaned forward a little and read one of the signs by the display.

"This brings back memories…" she sighed.

I glanced at her. "Not good ones, by the looks of it."

She shook her head. "No. It says that shock troopers—what we call grunts—are just ordinary soldiers who've undergone extensive training and special treatments to better defend Shinra' people and facilities. All volunteers, at least according to this."

"All bullshit, more like," Barret grimaced. "Tifa an' Jessie uncovered the truth behind 'em. An' it ain't pretty."

"What is it?" I asked.

It was Tifa that answered. "You remember me telling you about the time she and I went on that scouting mission just after she joined us? It was then. That supply depot was for more than just holding spare parts for the mako reactors. A lot more…"

"Can't say I'm surprised," I said. "What happened?"

She went on. "Jessie and I snuck inside—we'd seen a friend of hers being dragged in there by some soldiers. One of her regular customers. So we wanted to help him. But… we were too late. They took him, put this stuff on him, and injected him with drugs. They turned him into a grunt, Cloud. Not all of them become what they are willingly. I'm sure you've heard the stories of people, guys mostly, going missing down in the slums in the middle of the night."

I had. "Yeah. Figured Shinra was involved."

"Up to their ears," Tifa nodded. "In this case, the soldiers didn't put him out well enough before they started working on him, and he woke up. The drugs, they fried his mind, Cloud. Danny started attacking the soldiers _and_ us. We… we had to put him down. Jessie ended up having to kill her own friend. She had tried to get through to him, to save him, but it didn't work. He was just… gone."

"Damn…" I swore.

She gazed at the display. "It was hard for her, but Danny hadn't left her a choice. He'd gone after her and pinned her down while I was busy fighting the rest of the soldiers. When it was over, we used a few of her grenades to torch the place on the way out. And wouldn't you know it, a patrol spotted us right as we got outside."

I nodded. "That's when you went into the sewers."

"Right," she said. "And you know the rest. We headed back but ran into those sahagins on the way there. During the fight, Jessie, she… she saved my life. One of those monsters had thrown its trident at me, but I'd been battling another one and hadn't seen it. Jessie had, though. She pushed me out of the way and took the blow herself. That's how she got so hurt back then. I got her home just in time."

"Took her a good week or so to recover," Barret said. "But she's one tough girl. She pulled through jus' fine."

I knew she was. "And she'll do it again. She'll make it."

"Count on it," Tifa agreed.

When I saw the hologram standing nearby, I felt my blood start to boil. It was Heidegger, and seeing his ugly, bearded face made me want to hit something. I'd known he was the head of Peace Preservation, but it was still unnerving. I glared darkly at him, seeing Jessie in the pillar, screaming as current swept all through her body from her father's trap. I saw her hurled across the platform as the console exploded, saw how she fell into the inferno, how badly hurt she was when we finally found her in the ruins. She was dying because of him.

Before I could stop myself, I punched the hologram in the face. My fist went right through it, of course. But it still felt good. As I withdrew my hand, the image shifted and warbled, then reformed as I let my arm drop to my side. Tifa and Barret didn't say anything. They just stood by me, understanding in their eyes. With a sigh, I slid the keycard into the scanner and activated the hologram.

Heidegger grunted. "Hmph! Welcome to the Shinra Building. I am General Richard T. Heidegger, Director of Peace Preservation. My men and I are tasked with maintaining order in this city, and we will do that by any means necessary. If you follow the law and listen to Shinra, you have nothing to fear. But if you don't, we _will_ find you. Shinra's enemies will be punished quickly and without mercy."

"Bastard…" I growled.

Tifa took my arm. "Cloud…"

I found my rage rising again. "You saw what he did to Jessie. That's not something I can just forget. Sector 7's gone because of him, and she almost went with it. She's still at death's door, Tif. And a lot closer than she was in the sewers, I'm betting."

"That's true," Tifa murmured. "I've never seen her so terribly hurt, Cloud. Not even back then. But…"

"But what?" I asked.

She turned me to face her. "I know you're pissed at him, Cloud. So are we. But you can't forget why we're here. We might see Heidegger at some point before we get Aerith out, and when we do, you need to stay in control and stay focused. Jessie needs your help if she's going to have any chance to survive. We can—and we _will_ —deal with her father later. But right now, she and Aerith are what's important."

"Hate to admit it, but Tifa's got a point," Barret agreed. "Same thing you been tellin' me all night."

I relaxed. "Yeah, I know. And… thanks."

He chuckled. "Anytime, merc. Best move on, though. We still gotta sit through one more'a these damn things."

"Right," I nodded. "Let's go."

The last area was for Urban Development, with various displays on mako, the reactors, and the construction of the city. The hologram was of a dark-haired man maybe in his early forties, with a neatly-trimmed beard, a dark blue suit, white collared shirt, red tie, and soft brown eyes that didn't seem to have the hostility or apathy that his fellows did. As I slid the card into scanner, I was surprised at how calm and professional the guy sounded. Almost normal, actually.

"Hello, and welcome to the Shinra Building," he greeted us. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Reeve Tuesti, director of the Urban Development Division. Our mission is to provide the people of Midgar with energy created from mako. We also take pride in maintaining our city's public infrastructure, the pillars and railways that run throughout it and help connect us with each other. Currently, we are constructing a new intraplate expressway, and when it is finished, it will provide much easier access to numerous locations across Midgar. We appreciate your patience and understanding in the meantime."

Tifa gazed thoughtfully at him. "He doesn't seem so bad."

"Still a Shinra," Barret muttered.

"So were Jessie and Marissa," she reminded him, giving him one of her patented glares. "Cloud, too. Don't forget it."

He shrugged. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Besides, you heard what Domino told us," she went on. "This guy was the only one of Shinra's executive directors to speak out against the president's plan to destroy Sector 7."

"Lotta good it did us," Barret grumbled.

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "At least he tried. That's more than the others did. So give it a rest!"

I agreed. "Right. You think Jessie knew him?"

Tifa nodded. "She was a director too, at least for a while. She might have worked under him, actually. The tour guide said her division was part of his, remember? So she probably did."

"We'll ask her later," I decided.

"Imagine having an ally this high in Shinra," she murmured. "That would really be something, you know? I still can't believe Domino's on our side, too. The mayor himself."

It _was_ a lot to take in. "Yeah. That _was_ a surprise."

"A good one, though," Tifa smiled. "But anyway, I think we should get moving. Looks like we're done here."

"It's 'bout time," Barret said.

Ignoring him, I headed toward the door as it slid open. Ahead was another curving hallway decorated with lights and holographic diplays amidst the black marble. As we walked inside, the guide started talking again, her voice as cheery and annoying as ever.

"Really impressive, wasn't it? I hope you enjoyed learning all about our divisions and the wonderful ideas and solutions that are produced to benefit us all! Here at Shinra, we strive to ensure the safety of all our great residents around the clock! Now, moving along! The next exhibit will teach you all about the miracle of mako energy and our reactors as well as the city of Midgar itself! This is also the last stop on our tour, so be ready to have some fun! Come on!"

Another door at the end of the hall opened, and we went through. It led into another large room. This one was round, and the only thing in it was a scale model of Midgar, complete to the last detail. It was big, over ten feet across, and our entire goal with this little trip into Shinra's propaganda nightmare. We were almost done.

The hologram of the guide reaappeared next to the model as we all gathered around it. "This is the city of Midgar, our home, recreated at a 1/10000 scale. As you can see here, the eight mako reactors form a ring around the center of our city and keep Midgar running day and night. The mako flowing beneath our feet is a truly limitless resource. And it's completely safe, with no negative side effects to us or our environment. It's an absolutely perfect form of energy!"

"At Shinra, we've created technologies to extract it and transform it into the clean fuel and electricity that powers all that we do," the guide went on. "Thanks to the amazing miracle of mako energy, our lives our better than ever before. Mako keeps our lights on, powers our cars and appliances, and has made Midgar the city that never sleeps. A triumph of technology and a shining testament to man's limitless potential. And that's the end of our tour! Congratulations! You can call your yourself a proud Shinra scholar! Have a great day!"

"Nothin' but a buncha lies!" Barret snarled when the hologram had vanished. "Goddamn Shinra bullshit!"

I glanced at him. "Except it _has_ made people's lives better."

He snorted. "Made 'em blind to the hard, cold truth. Even I bought into it once. Pisses me off to think 'bout it."

"Let's just focus on why we're here, guys," Tifa said.

I nodded. "Yeah. Gotta get upstairs."

I didn't see the scanner at first, but then on a hunch, I reached over and gave the Shinra Building replica a little twist. The top swung open to reveal the slot. No doubt it had been installed by Domino's agents to help us rescue Aerith while we'd been on our way to see him. I took out the keycard and inserted it, and a moment later, there was a beep as the scanner updated it. When it was done, I pulled the card out and held it up as I turned to look at the others.

"All set," I said. "Now let's get outta here."

There was another door on the other side of the model, and it slid open as we went toward it. Inside was another hall, and it led us all the way back to the elevators, right where we'd started from. Once we went inside, I swiped the keycard through the scanner next to the panel, and the button for the 66th floor lit up. I pressed it as the doors closed, and we started to move upward again.

Barret scratched his chin. "Never knew this place was so high-tech. Lotta fancy shit goin' on back there. Makes us folk from the slums look like goddamn savages or somethin'."

"It's Shinra," I said. "What'd you expect?"

He chuckled. "Says the company man himself. You probably know all 'bout it, though—all them rules, regulations, an' red tape. That sorta thing. Probably like comin' home, ain't it?"

I shook my head. "Not really. Never worked here."

"Always out in the field, huh?" Barret said as the elevator started to rise. "Guess that's where the action is."

"More or less," I shrugged.

Tifa tightened her gloves. "Remember, that meeting's going to start soon. We need to find a way in."

I nodded. "We will. No turning back."

We didn't have any doubt about that. Somehow, we'd eavesdrop on that meeting and figure out a way to get into the Science Division. We'd gotten this far, made it through six floors and past security with a little inside help, and now we were almost to Aerith. But it was only going to get harder from here. More than we realized.

A whole lot more.


	15. FOURTEEN

## FOURTEEN

The doors to the main conference room were right in front of us as we left the elevator on the 66th floor. They were closed tight, and there was no doubt the meeting would be starting soon. No way we'd be able to get in through there, so I led Tifa and Barret around the corner and into a wide hallway lined with offices on the left side. Just in time, too. A chime suddenly sounded from behind us as we slipped quietly out of sight and the elevator doors opened again.

It was President Shinra and General Heidegger. As we ducked into an empty office nearby and watched them from the doorway, my hand clenched into a fist almost on its own. Tifa noticed and laid hers gently but firmly on my shoulder. Although it helped me relax a little and stay more or less in control, I still kept my eyes locked on Heidegger, anger simmering just below the surface as I thought of Jessie again, hurt and dying because of him. Her own father.

We heard part of his conversation with the president as they strode together toward the conference room to prepare for the meeting, and it wasn't good. Heidegger looked incredibly pleased with himself, as if he hadn't just brought about the deaths of tens of thousands of people less than a day ago. He stroked his beard and laughed like a drunk horse as he walked alongside President Shinra.

"I trust the narrative is intact?" the president asked.

Heidegger nodded. "Rock solid, sir. The people have embraced the Wutai-Avalanche conspiracy wholeheartedly. And I've almost come to believe it myself. All is going as planned."

President Shinra went on. "Wutai's response?"

"Nothing so far," Heidegger answered. "However, if those cowards _do_ react, it will only help us and our story."

"Very well. Then we shall stay the course," he said.

Heidegger paused while an aide scurried over to open the doors to the conference room for him and the president. "Understood, sir. But if I may, there was one other matter."

"Go on," President Shinra told him.

"It concerns Avalanche. Some of the men I sent down to the slums to check on their status haven't reported in. Others have brought word that at least a few of those sewer rats survived."

The president waved him off. "That has been accounted for. There is no cause for concern, General. We have everything well in hand. But tell me, is your daughter among them?"

Heidegger shook his head. "No, not that I'm aware of. She must be dead. No more running for her. If only she'd minded her own business instead of putting her nose where it didn't belong, Jessica wouldn't have come to such a bad end. Foolish girl…"

I stiffened, my blood beginning to boil again, but Tifa squeezed my shoulder tightly before I even thought to move. It hurt a little, but I got the message clear as day and stayed put as Heidegger and the president went into the conference room. Tifa didn't let go until the doors closed behind them and the hall was empty again.

"We're here for the girls, Cloud," she reminded me as she finally let go. "We'll kick Heidegger's ass later."

Of that, I had no doubt. "Damn right we will."

Barret nodded. "We'll bring him down, don't you worry 'bout that. But how do we snoop on the meetin'?"

"Domino said the conference room smells bad," Tifa said. "Maybe we could ask around. Someone might know something. Or they could at least point us in the right direction."

I wasn't so sure. "That might just draw more attention to us. We've gotta find it on our own. You heard Heidegger and the president. They know we're alive. We can't take any chances."

"You think they're expecting us?" she asked.

"Maybe," I answered. "And if they are, we'll be ready for them. But in the meantime, we need to get in there."

Tifa thought for a minute, then snapped her finger. "I've got it! The bathrooms! Where else would a bad small come from up here? There's probably an air duct that connects to the conference room. If our little friend can get around that way, why can't we?"

"Worth a look," Barret agreed.

"Good thinking, Tif," I told her. "Let's check it out."

We slipped out of the office and went quietly down the hall. There were more all along the left side, most of them occupied, as the sounds of hushed conversation and ringing phones told us. More black marble and potted plants up here, but no restrooms so far. We didn't find them until we reached the end of the hall where it widened into a break area. There were two sets of doors off to our left, and a few tables and chairs to our right near a pair of vending machines.

"Which one first?" Tifa asked.

"Men's room," I decided. "You should come with us."

She blushed. "Oh, um… are you sure?"

I pushed open the door slightly and looked inside. "Yeah. No one's there, Tif. It's clear. You'll be fine."

"Thank goodness…" she breathed.

The smell hit us almost as soon as we went in. I curled my nose as Tifa and Barret did, too. The bathroom, at least the sinks and uprights, was clean, and everything was very fancy, with automatic faucets, soap dispensers, and air dryers. Pretty much what I'd expected. But when we started checking the stalls, we found the source of the smell right away. In the third one, some guy had… not cleaned up after himself. And the faint hint of tea in the air only made it worse.

Tifa nearly gagged. "Oh, man! This is terrible! Ugh!"

"You'd think folks up here'd know better," Barret waved his hand in front of his face. "Guess not, though. I'd love to show 'em what the ones down below look like. Goddamn…"

I pointed at the ceiling. "You were right, Tif. There's an air vent up there. It's gotta go right above the conference room. We can slip inside, crawl over there, and listen in on the meeting."

She flushed the toilet. "Sounds good, but there's no way I'm gonna stand on that thing until we clean it up. It reeks!"

"No shit," Barret chuckled. "I'll give ya a hand, Tifa."

There were towel bins by the sinks, and between that and the soap, Tifa and Barret got the toilet seat and lid cleaned while I stood over by the door and kept watch to make sure no one else came inside. It didn't take long, and when they were finished, I put the lid down, stood atop it, and pulled open the air vent. It was just large enough for us to fit in, though Barret didn't have much room.

I heard him muttering as he crawled in behind me. "Another damn tiny hole we gotta go in. Hate these tight spaces."

"Just relax," I told him. "It's not far."

"Hope you're right, merc," he said as we got moving.

Tifa came last, closing the vent behind her. "The conference room's just across the hall. Deep breaths, Barret."

We crawled slowly through the duct, careful not to make any noise that might alert anyone in the rooms underneath us. After a moment, I saw through the next vent that we were crossing over another office as a pair of Shinra employees talked, their voices low and worried. One of them was holding a phone as I motioned for Barret and Tifa to stop for a minute. I peered out through the vent to listen.

"I'm sure they're safe," the first employee, a man, said.

The woman with the phone sighed as she dialed on it. "But we live right by Sector 7. I keep calling but I can't get through."

The man took her shoulder. "I heard all the phone lines over there are down. It doesn't mean anything. There's also word that Sector 7 was evacuated just before the plate came down. Apparently, someone pretty high up here got wind of what was going on and sent troops to move as many people out as they could."

"Really?" she asked. "Are you sure about that?"

He nodded. "Pretty sure. That's the rumor around here, anyway. So try not to worry, Anna. Your kids'll be fine."

I got moving again, the others following behind me, and hoped the rumor the guy had mentioned was true. None of us spoke at first as we kept crawling through the duct, but when we came to an intersection a few minutes later and paused for a quick break, I turned around to see Barret with a thoughtful expression on his face. The duct had widened a bit, enough that we could maneuver a little.

"I think that guy's right," he said softly, sitting with his back against the wall. "Someone did get people out."

Tifa slid in next to him. "What makes you say that?"

"When Jessie an' I left the bar to protect the pillar, she asked me to go on ahead," he explained. "Said she had somethin' she had to do first. Never told me what it was, though. Jus' asked me to trust her. So I did. An' then she ducked 'round the corner."

It made sense. "Jessie must've still had a friend or two up here. She called to warn them about Shinra's plan."

"And saved a lot of lives by doing it," Tifa added.

"She sure as hell did," Barret agreed. "An' I'm gonna tell her. I want her to know she made a difference."

I did, too. "Yeah. Better get moving, though."

We did, making a left at the intersection to head for the conference room, and a few minutes later, we came to a vent right above it. Looked like we were just in time, too. The directors were still settling into their seats, and all of them were there. Palmer and Heidegger sat on one side of the long mahogany table while Reeve, Scarlet, and Hojo faced them on the other. President Shinra was at the head of the table, sitting like a king in his throne and puffing on a cigar.

"Damn, that's a lotta suits!" Barret whispered.

I nodded as he and Tifa peered with me through the air vent at the meeting. "Yeah. Now shut up so we can hear them."

We watched as President Shinra started things off. "Your report, if you would, Reeve. And make it brief."

"Yes, sir," he said, glancing at a stack of papers in his hands. "I have the damage estimates for Sector 7, and quite frankly, they're staggering. Over ten billion gil. And the casualties—"

"Spare us the doom and gloom," the president interrupted. "And as far as those casualties are concerned, Reeve, you and I will be having a discussion later about that subject. Privately. I know what you did. And I would advise you _not_ to undermine my authority again. It could lead to some rather unfortunate consequences."

Reeve's face paled. "Yes, sir…"

President Shinra took another puff on his cigar. "Good. Now, then. Was there anything else, Reeve?"

He went on. "I've also drafted a reconstruction plan—"

"We're not rebuilding," the president declared.

Reeve stared at him. "Because of the Ancient? With all due respect, sir, I don't see how we can just—"

Scarlet cut him off. "Two words, Reeve. Neo-Midgar."

"With the Ancient in our custody once more, we will leave Sector 7 just as it is," President Shinra said, "and begin the Neo-Midgar project. In their promised land, we will build a new mako-powered metropolis. And it will be ours soon enough."

"But we still don't know if it even—" Reeve began.

As the president dismissed his objection with a wave of his hand, I almost felt sorry for him. Reeve couldn't even finish a sentence because the others kept interrupting him. And what was this about the Sector 7 casualties? What had he done? As curious as I was about it, Aerith was the priority, and they hadn't really discussed her yet. But I knew they'd bring her up directly sooner or later.

"I want you to raise the mako rates in every area," President Shinra ordered. "At least fifteen percent. No less."

Palmer bounced in his seat. "Oh, a rate hike! Please don't forget to include the Space Exploration Division in the budget, sir! It would be a great help to our wonderful program."

President Shinra shook his head. "Reeve and Scarlet will divide the extra income from the rate increase."

"Nuts!" Palmer dropped back into his chair.

"Sir, raising the rates will only discourage people," Reeve protested. "They're already quite high as it is."

The president puffed on his cigar. "Nonsense, Reeve. It will be fine. The people won't lose faith in us. Not with the comfortable living mako energy provides them and their families."

Heidegger laughed. "And of course, we saved them from Avalanche and their allies in Wutai! Such a pity we couldn't do the same for Sector 7. Those terrorists caused a lot of damage."

"Goddamn son of a bitch…" Barret muttered.

I clenched my fist, my own blood boiling at the sight of Heidegger, so close but so out of reach. I wanted to throttle him for what he'd done to Jessie. But I knew this wasn't the time. And that she'd definitely want to help me bring her father down. I felt Tifa's hand on my arm as I took a breath to calm myself. Barret did the same, and we all focused on the meeting and what we had come here to do.

"Professor Hojo," President Shinra said. "How is the girl?"

Hojo adjusted his dark, round glasses. "The test results were within expectations. Although the specimen is somewhat lacking compared to her pureblood mother, she should still more than suffice for our needs. The difference between them is approximately eighteen percent at this time, at least for now. It may change later."

"Can she lead us to the promised land?" the president asked. "And how long will your research take?"

"Well, Mr. President, that remains to be seen," Hojo answered. "It's most likely impossible to complete it within our lifetime. Or that of the specimen, either. Which is why I would like your permission to secure her cooperation through more forceful means. Forceful yet gentle. She is precious and must be handled with care."

Scarlet smiled cruelly. "Personally, I prefer torture. You'll find pain is an excellent motivator. I always have."

"And my armory is at your disposal," Heidegger added.

"I have something more psychological in mind," Hojo said. "Better to scar the psyche than mar the flesh."

President Shinra nodded. "Very well. Do as you see fit, Professor. I trust, however, that you will avoid making the same mistake twice. We cannot afford to lose her. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mr. President," Hojo grimaced. "But if I may, I have an idea of how we might mitigate that risk. You see, we could breed the Ancient. I have a potential mate already selected, and if that fails, candidates from SOLDIER could be used instead. By having the Ancient reproduce, we could create a specimen that could withstand our research for decades, perhaps even longer. There's no telling what kind of unique properties a crossbred specimen might possess."

"Will it hinder our plans?" the president asked.

Hojo tapped his chin. "That's what I have to determine. The girl is strong, yet has her weaknesses…"

The president glared at him. "You may proceed. So long as you do so with care and keep me informed."

"Of course," Hojo said. "Rest assured, I _will_ break her."

"Like hell you will," I swore softly.

I saw my determination reflected in my friends' eyes. There was no way we were gonna let Hojo put Aerith through that nightmare. Only a sick, twisted bastard like him could've come up with the idea to force a guy on her. And to get her to have a child, no less. All he wanted was to have another Ancient to turn into a lab experiment. But we were gonna stop him and save Aerith. Without a doubt.

"Mr. President!" Reeve argued. "With all due respect, we can't treat the girl as if she's just an animal."

"Why not?" Hojo asked.

Reeve glared at him. "She's a human being, Professor. The same as us. What you're planning… shouldn't be done."

Hojo cackled. "Oh, but it will be."

"Your objection is noted and overruled, Reeve," the president said. "And we will discuss your impropriety in regards to Sector 7 tomorrow morning in my office. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Reeve sighed.

President Shinra nodded. "General Heidegger, what is the status of our operation at Fort Condor?"

"Preparations for an assault are already underway," Heidegger said. "We should have our forces in place in a matter of weeks. That rabble's going to crumble under our firepower!"

"Just be sure you get that materia," Scarlet hissed.

Heidegger snorted. "That worthless chunk of crystal? There's more value in the reactor, I should think. All those fools defending it have to try and stop us with are outdated weapons emplacements from the war and a handful of would-be soldiers."

"Knowing you, that's all they'll need," Scarlet sneered. "Idiot. What you clearly don't understand is that this materia is different from those worthless baubles you can buy on the street."

He narrowed his eyes. "How?"

She went on. "It's a rare type of materia, full of magical power, and only a handful exist in the entire world. If we could obtain even one of these huge crystals, we could use it to develop an unstoppable weapon. No one would dare oppose us then."

"And you're certain that one of them is at Fort Condor?" Heidegger grunted. "One of those… huge materia?"

"Yes," Scarlet said. "Inside the reactor, according to our intelligence reports. When your troops take the fort, make sure they stay put until I arrive. I'll want to have a look around. But do kill that bothersome bird that's made its nest up there. It's in the way."

Hojo glanced at her. "An avian of that immense size would be quite a fascinating specimen. Be sure to have its remains transported here to my lab for study once this messy affair is over."

"Hmph! Very well," Heidegger snorted. "We should be able to take the fort with only a single battalion. A thousand of our soldiers, shock troopers, and hounds, with a detachment of sweepers for support. The pathetic fools won't know what hit them!"

Hojo adjusted his dark glasses. "We have a number of drakes at our disposal as well, General. Might I suggest putting some of them to use? I am eager to analyze their combat capabilities."

"Aerial support?" Heidegger raised an eyebrow. "Hmm… not a bad idea. Fine, then. I'll make the arrangements."

President Shinra stood. "See to it, General. And utilize the Turks if necessary. Just get it done. Is that clear?"

Heidegger nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then this meeting is adjourned," the president said.

With that, the others all stood up as well, gathering their things as they all began filing out of the room. Reeve sighed and shook his head as he left while Heidegger stroked his beard and followed the president out. Palmer carefully picked up the cup and saucer he'd had in front of him on the table and took a sip as he walked.

"Oh, my…" he said, smacking his lips. "A man of my refined tastes, running out of butter. Not good at all! Without it, this tea might as well be boiled pond water. How terrible!"

Scarlet came last, lingering for a minute after the others were gone. She sniffed and looked up. "Something stinks…"

Once she left, I glanced at Barret and Tifa. "You heard them. They were talking about Aerith."

"Right," Tifa nodded. "Had to be."

"So what's the plan, guys?" Barret asked.

I led the way back to the bathroom. "We follow Hojo. He'll lead us straight to Aerith. Then we break her out."

"Ever met him?" he wondered.

"No," I said, blinking as I struggled to remember. There was a flash of pain in my temple for a moment, and then it was gone. "Never even saw him 'till today. Looks creepy as hell."

We were almost to the vent leading back into the bathroom when I realized it was slightly open. In the dim light, I could just make out two small eyes and what looked like… whiskers? Then I heard the sound of something sliding toward me along the floor of the duct as whoever or whatever our strange visitor was quickly ducked out of sight again. The vent closed before I could get a better look at him.

"What was that?" Tifa asked.

I shook my head. "Dunno. Our little friend, I think. Got a glimpse of him, but not enough to know who he is."

She scooted up next to me. "Helping us out again?"

"Seems that way," I nodded, picking up the small object our unseen ally had sent skidding toward me. "He left us another keycard. Now we can get upstairs and slip into Hojo's lab."

"Then we kill the son of a bitch," Barret rumbled.

I opened the vent. "Gotta break Aerith out first. We'll worry about Hojo, Heidegger, and the rest later."

After climbing back down into the bathroom, I opened the stall to look for our little friend, but he was already gone. Odd little guy, to say the least. And surely not working alone. Someone had sent him to help us—one of Marissa's contacts, no doubt—but who? Had to be someone high up in the ranks, whoever it was. Someone who knew the layout of this place pretty damn well, too.

"How do you think our friend knew we'd be here?" Tifa wondered as she and Barret climbed out of the air duct and we left the bathroom. "Not that I'm ungrateful, of course. But he showed up again right after the meeting and gave us exactly what we needed to keep going. I'm just kinda curious to know how he did it."

I was, too. "He probably knows the interior of this place way better than we do, including how the ducts lead to the conference room. And Domino could've told him we'd be listening in on the meeting. He said he knew who our helper was, remember?"

Tifa nodded. "I think you're right, Cloud. Those two have probably been coordinating with each other this whole time. And with whoever sent us the little guy in the first place."

As we neared the corner of the hall, I peeked around it to see Hojo walking away from the conference room toward another hall at the far end of the area. We crept behind him, carefully keeping our distance as he turned and went up the corridor toward the escalator bay. It was on the right about halfway up, and I could hear him babbling to himself as he swiped his keycard and walked inside.

"We must have answers," he thought aloud. "A simple psychoactive agent should suffice. Nothing likely to cause any long-term damage. As soon as the mating procedure is finished, we can proceed. It should be quite fascinating to meet their offspring."

As soon as the glass doors closed behind him, I motioned to Barret and Tifa to follow me. "Let's go."

"Right behind ya," Barret agreed. "Game time."

The keycard our little friend had given us worked when I swiped it through the reader just as I'd figured it would, and the doors slid open again with a soft hiss. Hojo had already gone upstairs, and we rode the escalator up to the 67th floor after him. There was another pair of glass doors waiting for us at the top. We slipped quietly through them to see Hojo walking down a long corridor that curved to the right. Beckoning to Barret and Tifa, I crept after him.

The walls and floor were all metal here, unlike the black marble of the previous floors. It was all cold and sterile, just like a lab would be. It didn't seem like we'd gotten to the Science Division itself yet, though. I remembered then what Marissa had told us back at Aerith's house, that the security offices were on this level, too.

We found them just a minute or two later. Another hall ran to our right from a three-way intersection ahead of us, with a sign on the wall saying it led up to the security offices and Shinra's private prison block. There were other jails all over Midgar, but I'd never known there'd been one in the Shinra building itself. Didn't really surprise me, though, and I wondered just how many people had simply disappeared in this place over the years. Too many, most likely.

"Think Aerith might be up there?" Barret asked.

I shook my head. "No. She'll be in Hojo's lab. We stay on him. He'll lead us right to her. And then we take her back."

Tifa nodded. "Let's do it."

We moved on, going straight through the intersection and staying a safe distance behind Hojo as he made his way to another door. It slid open for a moment, then closed behind him again as he strode casually into the Science Division. After waiting for a minute to make sure that he wouldn't hear us, we hurried to the door ourselves. It wasn't locked, and it opened once we got close enough.

After heading through and passing several offices and small rooms on our right, we emerged into a larger storage area. Tall stacks of crates sealed with the Shinra logo filled much of the place, and shelves full of bottles, supplies, and other items stood along the walls. But what made my blood turn to ice as we darted quickly behind the nearest cluster of crates was the monsters. Several tall, thick glass cylinders stood amidst the crates throughout the area, with twisted, nightmarish things inside most of them. They were terrible.

Legs, barbed tails, teeth like knives. Other creatures that floated in midair with four arms and six red eyes. Another, huge and misshapen, banging on the glass every now and then with its arms as yellow things like giant ladybugs with eyes bounced lightly in front of it. Fortunately, the glass held, as I knew it must've been designed to do. Still, I couldn't help shuddering as I looked at the monsters.

"Goddamn Shinra…" Barret swore. "Marissa was right."

Tifa swallowed. "I know. Imagine how Jessie felt when she saw this all those years ago. Talk about an eye-opener."

I reached up to touch Jessie's star pendant through the fabric of my tunic for a moment. "Yeah. Couldn't have been easy. But thanks to her, we're ready for it. She came through for us."

"An' we gonna do the same for her," Barret added.

I nodded. "Believe it."

"Cloud, look!" Tifa pointed. "Over there! It's Hojo. But what's he so interested in? Doesn't look like another monster."

I followed her gaze and saw she was right. Hojo and another guy in a lab coat, probably one of his assistants, were standing near one of the glass cylinders. Like all the rest, it stretched up to the ceiling. But what was inside it was, like Tifa had said, not a monster. More like an animal of some kind. I'd never seen anything like it.

The beast was something like a large panther or a wolf with bright reddish-orange fur that was crisscrossed with old scars. One ran down through where the creature's right eye had once been. The lid was shut, but the wound had never really healed. The animal's other eye was still there, though. It was bright yellow and ignored Hojo and his aide. The spiky tufts of fur on the beast's head and growing along its spine were a dark red, and some of that odd mane hung down from either side of its neck in a pair of neat tails adorned with feathers.

The beast had been branded with the insignia "XIII" across its left shoulder along with some kind of marking. Both had been burned into its fur along with other marks on its hind legs around the knees. There was also a small gold bracer around each of its legs just above its paws. But the oddest thing was the continually burning flame at the tip of its long tail. It didn't seem hurt by it at all.

"Is this the specimen for today?" the assistant asked.

Hojo nodded, his greedy eyes on the animal. "Yes. We're beginning the procedure immediately, so make certain that the testing chamber is prepared. His partner, shall we say, is already there. Have him returned upstairs to join her as soon as possible."

The assistant nodded. "Understood, Professor."

"My rare and precious specimen…" Hojo murmured, gazing at the strange beast in the glass cylinder.

The animal ignored him, and he left, making his way to an elevator in the back of the room while his assistant hurried over to a larger one nearby and started working on it. That must've been how he was gonna send the animal upstairs. A specialized lift for the creatures Hojo made and collected in this twisted place. Once both he and his assistant were gone, we walked out to get a closer look.

Tifa laid her hand on the glass and gazed softly at the panther-like beast. "Poor thing. He doesn't seem so bad. You really think he's gonna be used in a lab experiment, Cloud?"

"Seems that way," I said.

Barret grimaced. "Not if I got anythin' to say 'bout it."

Tifa looked at me. "Can we help him?"

I nodded. "Let's get Aerith out first. Then we'll see what we can do for him. I doubt he'd mind being set free."

"Thanks, Cloud," she smiled.

"Sure," I said. "And don't forget, we've gotta—"

I cut myself off, my eyes widening when I saw a metal dome on the other side of the room almost directly across from the red-furred beast and its glass prison. The dome was about eight or nine feet tall, with all kinds of tubes running into it and a single door, sealed tight. A wicked purple glow shone through the window, and below it was a plaque with just one word on it, one I knew all too well.

"Jenova…" I breathed.

Tifa stood up. "Cloud? Are you okay?"

But I barely heard her. My feet moved almost on their own toward the dome as a heavy weight seemed to slam down in my mind, pulling me inexorably forward until I reached the door. With one hand resting on the valve wheel mounted on it just below the window, I stood up on my toes to look at what was lurking inside.

It was roughly in the shape of a woman, but that was the only thing about it that looked even remotely human. Its skin was grayish-purple and mottled, with two red, ragged wings sprouting from its back. More pulsing red tubelike organs surrounded it, with a large one penetrating the monster's abdomen like a feeding tube, and something that looked like a large eyeball was embedded in the right side of its chest. Another floated amidst the fleshy organs next to it. But the strangest thing of all was that the monster's head was simply gone.

I let go of the door and staggered back, my eyes fixed on the dome. "Jenova… Sephiroth's… so she's here…"

"Cloud!" Tifa took my shoulder. "Stay strong!"

"Did you see it?" I asked.

Barret scratched his head. "See what?"

"Damn thing's still alive," I said, still gazing at the dome containing Jenova. "I saw it moving in there…"

"What is it?" Tifa asked, worry in her eyes.

I sighed. "A nightmare…"

Barret walked up to the door and looked through the window. Just a second later, he swore and shook his head. "The hell!? Creep's missin' its goddamn head! More Shinra bullshit!"

"Bet your ass it is," I nodded. "They dug her up years ago."

"How do you know that?" Tifa asked.

I straightened as I began to feel like myself again. "I just do, Tif. I'll explain later. It's a pretty long story. But what I started to say before was that we need to find Lena's medicine."

"Yeah," Barret agreed. "Oughta be 'round here. Let's find it an' keep movin'. Aerith's waitin' for us upstairs."

We spread out, searching the crates and shelves for those bottles as the furred animal in its glass prison watched us. Fortunately, we didn't run into anyone else, and I figured they must be preparing to start that experiment Hojo had been talking about.

I found the medicine halfway up the third set of shelves I checked. The bottles were smaller than I'd expected and had been stored inside a cold case. With their sealed caps, they were clearly meant for injection, so I grabbed a box of syringes and swabs along with some of the bottles as I called to the others. Once we'd gathered as much as we could carry in our belt pouches and pockets, we hurried to the elevator in the back, the one Hojo had used, and slipped inside.

There wasn't any need to say anything. We all knew what to do and what was at stake. So while Barret checked his ammo and Tifa adjusted her fighting gloves, I pressed the button for the 68th floor, took a deep breath, and got ready to rescue Aerith.


	16. FIFTEEN

## FIFTEEN

When we got to the 68th floor, we stepped out into a short hallway. There were a few doors lining either side, but we ignored them as I led Tifa and Barret to another lift at the other end. Looked like there were a few different sublevels in this lab. I also noticed the outer walls had a slight curve to them as they rose to the ceiling. That meant we must've been in the drum section of the building near the top.

Hojo was standing in front of the lift with his back to us. He didn't seem to have heard us, as absorbed in his own thoughts as he was, so I nodded to Barret. He got the message and slowly raised his gun-arm as we crept toward Hojo. It didn't look like he'd pressed the button for the lift yet. He was just babbling to himself.

"So many variables," he said. "Hmm… perhaps a sedative to make the subject more pliable for the procedure. However, it could adversely affect the results. Wait, wait… I mustn't overthink it. Leaving her fully alert could prove interesting as well…"

Barret poked him in the back with his gun-arm. "Don't even think 'bout movin', asshole. I ain't bluffin'."

"Oh?" Hojo glanced at him. "What is this?"

"A dozen bullets in your head unless you call that lift right now an' take us up to your main lab."

Hojo shrugged and pressed the button. "If you insist."

"We do," I told him.

Inside the lift was another set of doors. It was made of metal grates instead of steel panels and slid open once we reached the next sublevel a few moments later. Hojo led us out into another short hall, and at the far end stood a pair of thick steel doors with a card scanner on the wall nearby. I pointed to it, my eyes narrow.

"Open it," I ordered. "Now."

Barret gave him a nudge. "You heard him!"

"Do stop pushing," Hojo said. "Unlike you, I am less accustomed to physical violence. It tends to get… rather messy."

"You'll get used to it," Barret growled.

Hojo walked over to the scanner. "Ah, you must be the ones who've been stirring up trouble lately. The eco-terrorists? Avalanche, if I'm not too much mistaken. What is it that you want?"

"Our friend," Tifa answered. "She's in your lab."

"Take us to her," I added.

Hojo cackled maniacally as he swiped his keycard. "Your friend, is she? Well… Yes, yes, indeed… That should do the trick nicely. It would be quite fascinating to see her reaction if I were to show her your fresh corpses. I promise… you will regret this."

As soon as the door opened, he rushed inside before we could stop him. We followed him into a large, multi-leveled lab. Much of the area was open, with an enclosed second level that could only be reached by two sets of stairs, one at either end of the room. There was another lift on the far end as well as a door near it leading to another section of the lab, but I ignored them as we skidded to a halt.

In the middle of the room was a large, clear cylinder made out of a thick, shatterproof glass. Hojo's testing chamber was sealed shut with a transparent door, and standing calmly inside it was Aerith. Her eyes lit up when she saw us, and when I saw her there, I felt a mixture of relief that she was alright and anger at her imprisonment. Hojo gazed cruelly at us from a panel near the chamber.

"So glad you could join us," he smiled coldly.

I drew Buster. "Aerith!"

Hojo raised his finger. "Ah, ah. There are so many frivolous things in this world. Are you going to kill me? I assure you, that would not be wise. The equipment here is quite… delicate."

"Damn…" I sighed, lowering my blade.

Hojo started tapping controls on the panel. "Much better. Think it over logically before you make any rash moves."

Tifa clenched her fists. "We're taking Aerith back!"

"Oh?" Hojo said. "Correct me if I am wrong, but did she not come here of her own free will? She is not your property."

"She came here to save my Marlene!" Barret snapped.

Hojo shrugged. "I'm afraid you misunderstand. But I really can't be bothered to explain. This facility is home to a number of extraordinary specimens that will change the world as we know it. Do try to be more considerate. In the meantime, enjoy the show."

Just then, Aerith scooted back as a round section of the floor in the middle of the testing chamber suddenly lowered out of sight. It rose up again a moment later, though, and on it was the red-furred animal we'd seen downstairs earlier. It growled at Aerith, baring it sharp teeth as its flaming tail whipped around it. She backed away from it, her eyes wide with fear, and started pounding frantically on the glass walls. I felt my blood boiling as I glared at Hojo.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I demanded.

He rubbed his hands together. "What does it look like? I am saving two endangered species from extinction. I won't allow these marvelous animals to disappear from our world."

Tifa's glared daggers at him. "Animals!? How could you!? Aerith's a human being, too! Just like the rest of us!"

"You payin' for that, asshole!" Barret snarled.

"Barret!" I shouted. "The lock!"

He nodded. "Awright, Cloud! I'm on it! Stand back!"

"No! Stop!" Hojo yelled.

But he was too late. Barret whipped up his gun-arm, took aim, and fired. Bullets ripped into the locking mechanism and blew it apart with a shower of sparks and smoke. As it shorted out, so did the chamber. A bright, blinding bluish light suddenly filled it for a moment as the door slid open with a loud hiss and cold steam wafted out. Between that and the light, it was hard to see anything in there.

Hojo ran to the open door. "My precious specimens!"

Just as the mist began to clear, the red-furred panther leaped out at him. Hojo barely had time to let out a startled squawk before the thing pounced on him, pinning him to the floor with its paws. The other lab techs in the room froze on the spot as soon as Hojo went down and his experiment spiraled completely out of control.

I looked at the others. "Now's our chance! Let's go!"

We raced over to the testing chamber, and while the others waited, I hurried inside to get Aerith. She was still there and, strangely enough, didn't have a scratch on her despite her dangerous encounter with that animal from downstairs. I was a little curious about it, but I decided to worry about it later. What mattered right now was getting her out, and I went over to her to do just that.

"Thanks, Cloud," Aerith smiled, stepping toward me.

I gently took her arm. "Sure. You okay?"

She laughed. "Oh, yeah…"

We were just stepping outside the damaged testing chamber when I suddenly heard the lift behind us moving again. I turned around, not liking what was going on, and at the same time, Hojo slipped away like an eel, cackling all the while as he rolled to one side before the panther could stop him. He scurried up to the second level and slipped into an enclosed control room almost right above us.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Tifa asked.

I slowly backed away from the testing chamber. "The elevator's still moving, Tif. Something's coming."

"Indeed," Hojo cackled. "Although it _is_ unexpected…"

"The hell?" I stared up at him.

He smiled coldly down at us as his wheezing voice came through a speaker. "The results provided by my predictive models clearly indicate that this force should be more than capable of handling you. Of course, I had not planned to release it yet, but I believe you will make excellent victims… er, test subjects… for this specimen."

Just then, the panther turned to us… and spoke. "I'm familiar with the creature he is referring to. I've seen it before, and what it can do. So if you don't mind, I'll help you all out."

"You can talk?" Tifa gaped, her jaw dropping.

He nodded. "I'll speak as much as you'd like later, miss. But for the time being, I suggest we concentrate on the incoming threat. Specimen H0512 is quite strong. Don't underestimate it."

"Right," I agreed. "Tifa, fall back with Aerith. Keep her safe."

She pumped her fist. "Will do!"

As she and Aerith hurried away from the testing chamber, I looked back at the panther. His bright orange fur was bristling in anticipation of the battle, and his single eye was fixed on the lift. He unsheathed his sharp claws as I quickly drew Buster again.

"You got a name?" I asked.

"Red XIII," he answered. "That is what Hojo calls me. However… I prefer Red. Aerith shortened it for me."

I blinked. "But weren't you—"

"Save it for later, guys!" Barret barked. "Big boy's here!"

He was right. The monster was there in front of us, surging off the lift and out of the testing chamber. It towered over us at almost twenty feet, a huge and misshapen thing with tough, mottled gray skin twisted with whitish veins all over a lot of its body. Its feet had three large toes, with a fourth in the back for balance, but large as its legs were, its arms were even bigger and hideously deformed.

Each of them was different. The monster's left arm widened into a bulbous, circular thing with four short, sharp claws while its right arm was shorter but just as dangerous. It was basically a giant reddish hand with four long talons. H0512's shoulders were thick and broad. The left was covered in some kind of armor plating while the right opened into a gaping maw lined with curved teeth like razors.

The monster stared at us with eyes that were completely white in a head made of pale red flesh. It didn't have a nose or mouth, just a mass of tentacles hanging from what passed for its face. And it wasn't alone. Three smaller monsters, like giant yellow ladybugs with four legs and a single pale green eye, scuttled ahead of it.

"Ready?" I asked the others.

Barret grinned as he took aim. "Hell yeah, baby!"

Red bared his teeth. "More than you know. I've been caged here for far too long. And freedom awaits."

"Then let's take it!" I shouted, rushing in.

With a yell, I cut at the nearest of the insect creatures with a flurry of quick slashes. It shuddered and bled, but didn't fall just yet. A streak of orange fur shot by me as Red charged another of the monsters, claws slicing deep gouges into its round body as I kept pressing the attack on the first and Barret fed bullets into H0512 itself.

The beetle thing I was fighting leaped at me, nicking my arm, but I managed to deflect the bulk of its attack and shoved it away. Then I cut at it with a focused thrust and it collapsed. The third one bounced just as I was turning to it, and a burst of magical flame suddenly shot up in front of me, driving me back for a moment. In the meantime, Red was tearing his enemy to ribbons while Barret braced himself and shrugged off a blow from H0512's clawed left arm.

I swept Buster across in a backhand slash before the bug could cast another spell, and it squealed I sliced it apart with three quick cuts that left it in pieces on the floor. But just as I turned to start in on H0512, it waved its arms, and two more of the bug things appeared out of a thick grayish mist and started attacking.

"Damn!" I swore, diving out of the way. "Not good!"

Barret shot one of the bugs off my back. "No shit, merc! So what're we gonna do 'bout it? They jus' keep comin'!"

Red tore into another. "I suggest a change of plan."

But before we could do anything, H0512 suddenly spewed a cloud of noxious purple vapor that swept over us. Red and Barret sank down, trembling and twitching uncontrollably as the poison seeped into their bodies. Sweat covered Barret's skin, and Red's tongue hung out as they tried to keep fighting, but I knew the venom was taking a toll on them. The bugs unleashed a barrage of spells, showering my friends with fire and ice while also keeping me from getting to them.

But then, as I felt the gentle warmth of Jessie's star pendant against my skin, I realized the poison hadn't affected me. Her gift was blocking it and protecting me. I held it for a moment through my shirt, thinking of her. Then I let go, gripped Buster in both hands, and rushed straight through the noxious vapor toward the bugs.

I cut and sliced and spun, cleaving one of them in two with a high overhead chop. Then I swung Buster in a tight arc, hurling a pale green wave of energy at the others, driving them back. I didn't waste any time but hit H0512 as well, three deep slashes that left trails of amber energy in their wake before exploding a second later.

"Barret!" I called. "Catch!"

I tossed him an antidote, and while he downed it, I hurried over to Red and gave him one, too. The effect was immediate. As soon as they swallowed the pale green liquid, their trembling stopped and the fever wracking their bodies finally broke as the toxin was purged from their systems in only a few seconds.

"Thank you," Red said. "But if I may, how is it you were untouched by the poison? It should've stricken you as well."

"Gift from a friend," I answered.

Barret nodded as he fired a few shots at the bugs. "Jessie jus' saved our asses! Thought that was it for us."

I hefted Buster. "Not yet. Can you fight?"

"Shit! You gotta ask?" he said, pounding his chest.

Red swiped at a bug that had gotten close. "I can, too. But while we are recovered for the moment, the vapor still lingers. It may strike at us again unless we can find way to disperse it."

I glared at H0512. "Right. And even if we do, that thing might just spray it at us again. We've gotta hit it fast."

The bugs leaped at us again, but I ignored them this time and went straight for their master, Buster cutting a line across its hide. But just as I tried to follow up my attack with a backhand blow, the monster did it first, blocking my strike with its clawed right hand while smashing me in the chest with its huge left fist before I could get away. I flew back to land hard on the floor with a pained grunt.

H0512 ignored Barret and Red, who were tied up dealing with the bugs, and came right for me, moving faster than I'd thought possible. It was on me before I knew it, and I had to roll aside to avoid its crushing punch. My chest still hurt from the last one. Another one dove toward me only a few seconds later, and I barely got Buster up in time to block it. H0512 kept pounding on the blade again and again, but I gritted my teeth and held firm even as I lay flat on my back.

Then, suddenly, Tifa was there, knifing through the air with a loud yell and hitting the monster squarely in its ugly, tentacled face with one of her flying kicks. And as H0512 staggered under her assault, I sprang back to my feet just in time to feel a familiar soothing wind sweep over me and clear away the noxious vapor.

"You rang?" Aerith teased.

I glanced at her. "Thought I told you to stay back."

She readied her bladed staff. "Not when my friends need me. Glad you remembered to bring this along with you."

"Thought you'd want it," I said.

"Of course, Cloud!" she giggled, twirling it. "I already thanked Tifa for carrying it on her back all this way for me."

I gave her the magician's bracelet. "Here. Take this, too."

Aerith put it right on. "Ooh, pretty! Thanks!"

"Sure," I told her. "It should make your magic stronger. And I think we're gonna need it real soon, Aerith."

"I'm ready," she nodded.

As I swatted aside another of the bugs before it could get too close, Tifa and the others joined us. H0512 was lingering behind its minions, calling a few more as we paused for a moment to regroup. There had to be a way to bring that thing down. We just had to keep it busy so that it wouldn't have a chance to restore the bugs again.

"What's the plan, guys?" Tifa asked.

"You and Barret take take out the bugs," I answered, knowing what to do. "In the meantime, Red and I'll get in close and deal with big boy. Aerith, back us up. Keep us on our feet."

She grinned. "Yes, sir! I'll show you what I can do!"

"If any of you see that thing use its poison breath again, fall back," I went on. "I've got Jessie's pendant protecting me, so I'll cover you all as much as I can. And don't forget the antidotes."

Elmyra had given us each a few more this morning before we'd left, a little care package to help us with our rescue. Now that we had Aerith back and Red with us as well, we quickly redistributed the antidotes so they'd have some, too. Once that was done, I hefted Buster and charged right at H0512, Red loping along beside me.

As Tifa and Barret unloaded on nearest of the bugs, gunfire filling the air, Red and I struck at H0512 from both sides, Buster slashing left and right as he slammed into the monster with a spinning leap and cut at its hide with his claws. Then he jumped back and stared hard at it, a flash of yellow light shining from his headdress.

"If you have lightning magic, do what you can to avoid using it," he warned. "This creature is highly resistant to such damage. However, its left claw can be shattered, leaving it vulnerable."

I nodded. "Copy. Let's do it."

But then, H0512 suddenly reached its arm toward one of the bugs, and it started tremble and shake. My eyes widened as I realized what it meant and what was happening. I dove toward Aerith, who was closest to it, and rolled away with her just as the bug exploded behind us, gore flying in every direction. Once the dust settled, I helped her to her feet and quickly brushed myself off.

"Thanks, Cloud," she smiled. "Got a little too close, huh?"

I smirked. "You always do."

"Can't argue with that," she teased. "Well, anyway, back to the fight! We've still got a big monster to kill."

"Just means it'll fall harder," I promised.

With that, I ran back in, Buster at the ready. The others were all in one piece, and while Tifa and Barret took on the last two bugs, I joined Red to strike at H0512's claw like we'd planned. The monster lunged at us, but a blast of fire from Aerith knocked it off balance before it could attack. Red and I seized the opportunity and got to work, and it wasn't long before his claws and my sword had broken the thing apart. With a yell, I severed the grotesque thing in one swipe.

H0512 roared in pain and stumbled back, catching another fireball in the face from Aerith in the midst of it. Just as Red and I rushed in to press the attack, the monster unleashed its toxic breath again, spewing another cloud of purple gas over us. Just as before, Jessie's pendant kept me safe, and I motioned for the others to back up as I hit H0512 with a quick triple slash to buy my friends time.

"Antidotes, now!" I called.

Aerith was the first, downing hers in an instant as I kept slashing at the monster. She straightened at once, and as the color returned to her skin, she lashed out with more magical fire. This time she sent it at the gas cloud, burning it away in an instant while the others all drank their antidotes and shook off the effects of the poison. Then Aerith let loose with a touch of healing magic, sending it into us one at a time to see to the wounds we'd sustained during the battle.

Tifa waved to her. "Thanks!"

"Anytime, Tifa!" Aerith said, spinning her staff. "Thanks for letting me use that Restore materia for a while."

"You bet!" she answered.

I deflected a heavy blow from H0512's remaining arm and pushed it away. "Everyone okay back there?"

Barret shot apart another bug. "Never better!"

"I'm fine," Red added. "Now I believe we should finish this. H0512 is weakened, and we can destroy it if we maintain the pressure. But we must act quickly before it can restore itself."

I kept on slashing. "Right. Take it down, everyone!"

This time, we all focused our attacks on H0512. Only one bug was left, and Tifa froze it solid with a frigid burst of cold from her materia, then shattered it with an aerial roundhouse kick like the one Jessie had used on the Shinra soldier back at the Sector 1 train station. It felt as if that mission had been a lifetime ago now.

Putting my thoughts aside, I sliced at H0512 again and again while Red leaped onto its back and started clawing and gouging. Barret fired a barrage of bullets into its chest as Aerith hurled another fireball at it. Tifa followed up with a forward somersault kick to its face, sending the monster reeling backward, and I finished it off with a focused thrust to its heart, Buster shearing right through it as Red jumped off. H0512 let out a last, gurgling cry, then collapsed and lay still.

"Got him!" Aerith cheered.

I turned to her as I shouldered Buster. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yep! Not a scratch."

"Certainly looks that way," Tifa agreed. "Aerith seems to be alright, Cloud, all things considered. But we'd better go."

Barret glanced curiously at Red. "So, uh… what are ya?"

"A fascinating question," he replied. "But not the easiest to answer. I am what you see before you. Nothing more. I know you all must have many questions, but Tifa is right. We must go."

"How'd you know that thing's weak spot?" I wondered.

Red lowered his head for a moment so we could get a better look at his feathered headdress. "Assess materia. I also have Lightning, but the beast was resistant to it, so I refrained from using it. Hojo's aides never examined me very closely in all the time I've been here. Neither did he. If they had, they would have found them."

"Very clever, Red XIII," Hojo sneered, his voice coming again from the speaker. "I knew I should have checked you more thoroughly when the Turks first brought you here. I wouldn't savor your freedom for too long if I were you, however. It won't last."

"We shall see," Red growled.

Barret snorted. "Your models got it wrong, egghead!"

Hojo sighed. "Yes. An unknown variable, perhaps. Well, no matter. Reinforcements will soon arrive. I store many specimens in these labs, and one of them will certainly subdue you."

I glared fiercely at him as he watched us in the control booth. "But will they get here in time to save you from me?"

"Hmm… are you a SOLDIER?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Used to be."

"Not quite," Hojo mused. "Oh, that's right. My boy, you were never a SOLDIER. I remember that now. You—"

"Liar! I was!" I yelled.

Hojo laughed. "My, you really believe that, don't you?"

I took a step toward him. "Damn right I do!"

"Cloud!" Tifa called.

But I wasn't listening. What Hojo had said was a lie. It had to be. I'd been in SOLDIER. I remembered all of it—the training, the mission to Nibelheim, everything. The others looked at me with uncertainty, but I _knew_ Hojo was just bullshitting us, trying to stir up doubt and make us lose time so we'd be caught by security.

"Wait a minute…" Hojo's eyes lit up as he gazed at me and cackled. "Of course! So the hypothesis is true! Then this must mean that… he is awake now, and it will begin soon."

I swept my arm in front of me. "Screw that! We're leaving!"

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Indeed. Don't let me stop you. I am quite eager to see what will unfold tonight. I only hope you will not disappoint me. This should be interesting…"

Then he was gone, walking away into another section of the lab. It didn't make sense. Why would he just let us go? More tricks, no doubt. I didn't know what he was planning, but I knew it couldn't be good. No time to worry about it now, though. We had to leave. So I turned to the others and took a breath to calm myself.

"Sorry," I said. "Bastard's just trying to mess with us."

Tifa sighed. "Yeah…"

I blinked. "Tifa? What is it?"

"Hmm?" she wondered. "Oh, nothing. You're right, Cloud. Let's go before he changes his mind and comes back."

Aerith smiled. "So, Cloud… you _did_ come for me."

I looked at her. "You had any doubt?"

"Nope!" she giggled. Then she gently patted Red's nose. "Though I did have help. Your plan worked, Red!"

"What plan?" I asked.

Red explained. "I must ask for your forgiveness for what happened in the testing chamber, Cloud. It was not what it appeared. Aerith and I were merely acting to throw Hojo off guard."

Aerith's green eyes danced merrily. "So how'd I do?"

"Jessie would be proud," I told her.

"Thanks!" she grinned. Then she grew serious. "And about her… I know she's hurt. The planet's calling her, and she's very close. I can feel it. But it's not too late. We can still help her."

I stared at her. "You're sure?"

Aerith nodded. "Positive. Jessie's spirit is still with us, Cloud. Even if only by a thread. I saved her before, and I'll do it again. Get me home and I'll see to the rest. I'll bring her back."

"You'll be there," I promised.

"Damn straight!" Barret agreed. "An' Aerith… thanks for savin' my Marlene. I owe ya more than I can ever repay."

She smiled. "My pleasure."

"Save it for later!" I told them. "We've gotta go."

Barret started toward the lift. "Merc's right. Now that Aerith's back with us, we ain't got no need to stay here."

"Back to the main elevator," I ordered. "Move!"

"I'll lead the way," Red offered.

He loped off ahead of us without waiting for an answer, and we all followed him, putting Hojo's lab firmly behind us. It was a bit of a tight fit for us all to get into the lift, but we managed. As soon as we got back to the lower part of the 68th floor, we hurried to the elevator and rode it downstairs to the storage facility. Most of Hojo's other monsters were still safely in their glass prisons, so we ignored them and kept moving. But as I was passing by Jenova's dome, I suddenly felt a dark pull in my mind and found myself moving toward it.

"Cloud! Stay with us!" Aerith called, taking my hand.

As soon as her fingers closed around mine, that strange pull in my thoughts suddenly receded with an incoherent snarl of rage in a voice I didn't recognize. Something cold, feminine, and alien. Jenova? I didn't know. I didn't understand what was happening, only that with Aerith's touch, I was somehow myself again.

I shook off the cobwebs. "Yeah, sorry. Thanks."

"Anytime," Aerith said, letting go.

We rejoined the others and moved on, hurrying out of the Science Division as quickly as we could. We came across a few aides on the way to the exit, but they all scurried aside as soon as they saw us. Red raced through the open door, the rest of us right behind him, and a moment later we were back in the security area.

Three moth slashers were rolling down the hall on patrol when we got to the intersection. They were powerful mechanized sentries whose lower bodies were basically giant balls fitted with rotating blades. They also had drills on their heads and claws on their arms. I drew Buster as they closed in, and between the five of us, we took the machines down fast with our weapons and a bit of lightning magic.

Suddenly, there was a commotion just up the hall from the security office. No doubt the guards had heard us, and I braced myself for more fighting. But then the door shorted out in a shower of sparks, trapping the guards inside, at least for a while.

"Look!" Tifa pointed.

I did and saw a black, furry tail disappearing into an air vent in the ceiling near the door. "Our little friend's back."

"Little friend?" Aerith wondered.

I looked at her. "We'll explain later. For now, let's just keep going. It won't take long for those guys to break outta there, and we shouldn't be here when they do. Time to mosey."

We rushed down the hall and followed it back to the escalator bay, then rode downstairs back to the 66th floor. The main elevator was just down the passageway and across from the conference room. Although it wasn't that far away, it felt like it took longer to get there than it really did. We didn't see anyone else around, and that was strange, but I put it out of my mind and focused on our escape.

The elevator arrived almost as soon as I hit the call button, and we all hurried inside. But just as the doors started to slide closed, a gloved hand suddenly reached in between them and pushed them open. It was Rude, staring silently at us from behind his dark sunglasses. I sighed as the others gasped in dismay. Tseng was with him, his brown eyes cold, and I knew then that we'd been caught.

Rude stepped into the elevator with us. "Going up."

"Tseng…" Aerith murmured. "You knew?"

He stood in the doorway and nodded. "Of course. Though I admit, you made it much farther than I expected."

I grimaced. "This was a trap?"

"Exactly," he answered. "You must have found it very exciting, and I'm sure you enjoyed it. But it ends here."

"Shit…" I swore.

Tseng gestured to Aerith. "You will come with me. Now."

Just then, a squad of Shinra soldiers marched up behind him, rifles ready. Although I was sure we could've taken them out in a clean fight, there wasn't room with all of us in the elevator, and their guns were all trained on us. One wrong move and they'd open fire. And at this range, we wouldn't last long if that happened.

Aerith walked back into the hall. "Alright, Tseng. I'll go. But if you hurt any of them, I won't cooperate."

"I'm afraid that's not my decision," he answered. Then he motioned to the soldiers. "Split them up. The mercenary and the girl in here, and the others in the second elevator. Bind their hands."

As he led Aerith away and Rude looked on, the soldiers forced Red and Barret out and into the second elevator and put us all in handcuffs. Tifa and I could see our friends through the thick glass walls. Once the elevator doors had finally closed, Rude swiped his keycard through the scanner and hit the button for the 70th floor.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Rude glanced at me. "The president wants to see you."


	17. SIXTEEN

## SIXTEEN

President Shinra's office was huge, with more of them black marble floors an' columns along with another buncha potted plants. The walls 'round his huge black desk was lined with floor to ceilin' windows that looked out across Midgar an' his own private helipad. The door leadin' outside was on our right, but I didn't see a chopper out there as we was all led in here by Rude an' them soldiers.

The president himself was sittin' casually behind his desk, polishin' a gold handgun. My blood went hot soon as I saw him, an' it took 'bout all I had to not to try an' break off my cuffs an' shoot the son of a bitch with my gun-arm. All I could see was Sector 7, gone. All'a them people dead. Biggs an' Wedge banged up an' bruised. Lena sick an' in pain. An' Jessie… dyin' in bed, struck down by this asshole an' her old man. The sky was dark outside, jus' like my mood.

"So… the vaunted Avalanche," President Shinra said. "Hmph. Less than impressive, to say the least."

I snorted. "Like we give a shit what you think!"

Cloud frowned. "Where's Aerith?"

"In a safe place," the president answered. "That girl is the last of the Cetra, what we call the Ancients. They lived and flourished thousands of years ago, but now they are merely history."

Red blinked. "So, Hojo was correct. She _is_ an Ancient."

President Shinra nodded. "Indeed. And through her, the Ancients will lead us to the promised land. She may be only a half-breed, but she still has their powers. I'm expecting much of her."

"The promised land is merely a legend," Red argued.

"Perhaps," the president shrugged. "However, it's too tempting not to pursue. The fabled promised land holds great potential and is said to be full of life and extremely fertile. And if it is…"

"Then it's gotta have mako!" I spat.

He put his gun down an' picked up a cigar. "Exactly. We won't even need the mako reactors anymore. The endless energy will simply pour out on its own. This is where we will build Neo-Midgar. The new glory of Shinra in the heart of the promised land…"

I growled. "Bullshit! Ain't gonna happen! Avalanche'll stop ya! We ain't Wutai or anybody's puppet! We fight for the people, the planet! To hold you assholes accountable for your crimes! Everyone'll know it was _you_ who destroyed Sector 7 an' killed all those people, not us! We'll see to it! So to hell with your dreams an' glory!"

"Is that all you want?" the president sneered. "To have your names cleared? That is what matters most to you? Hmph. More than shutting down the reactors? Than the planet's future?"

I blinked. "Huh? Damn…"

He laughed softly. "You're lying to yourself even now. Truth, honor, justice, freedom… vain indulgences, every one. Picture it, a world with no Shinra. A world without mako energy. A stagnant, impotent world. In the wake of a natural disaster, who would help the people to recover and rebuild? You? With their old world in ruins, would they thank you for the new? Consider what your principles are truly worth. But time is of the essence. This is your last opportunity."

"An' what 'bout you, Mr. President?" I said. "What the hell are _your_ vaunted principles? Greed? Power?"

He scoffed. "What principles? Did you understand a single word of what I told you? I know what I want, and I take it. I take full advantage of whatever I can and discard that which I cannot. I have neither room nor the desire for sentiment, guilt, or remorse."

"You son of a bitch!" I yelled.

"Oh, didn't you know? Money and power are all you need to make your dreams come true these days."

I snorted. "They ain't gonna save ya, asshole!"

"We shall see," President Shinra shrugged. "In any event, that is all for our meeting. Speak with my secretary if you need anything else. I'm afraid I'll be rather busy for the time being."

Rude started pushin' me back, but I struggled against him as them soldiers shoved the others out. "Now hold up! I ain't finished with you yet, asshole! Still got a lot I wanna say!"

"Move," Rude insisted.

I grimaced an' let him haul me out, wantin' to tell the president off some more but knowin' it wouldn't do no good. We was caught tightly in the net now, an' I didn't know how we was gonna get out. Clock was tickin', too. Jessie's time was runnin' out. I was worried 'bout her, afraid we'd be too late, an' that was what finally got me to calm down, though I didn't stop glarin' at Rude the whole time.

He an' the soldiers took us back to the elevators, an' we rode in jus' one this time, all together, the troops still with their guns trained on us. When Rude pressed the button for the 67th floor, I knew where we was goin'. So did Cloud an' the others, judgin' from the looks on their faces. Security an' them cells we'd passed earlier. Made sense, really. We'd jus' hafta find a way to break outta there, get Aerith back again, escape this goddamn place, an' hurry back to Jessie.

* * *

"Avalanche is in custody," Rude said.

He didn't say another word as he came in, just went over and sat at the conference table with Tseng, but then again, he'd never been much of a talker. Probably why he was such a good partner. Always got to the point. Yeah, you probably didn't expect to hear from us, did ya? Well, I ain't one for goin' on about the past—I'd rather just drink—but with all the shit that went down back then, I guess it don't hurt to get a bit of it off my chest. Stick around and maybe you'll learn a thing or two. That's the whole point of this little history project, right?

Anyway, I was layin' on a long sofa near the table, still bruised and feelin' like shit after that fight in the pillar. Didn't really know why, but I couldn't get that actress chick's words outta my mind. Jessie Jae. She'd been this big star once upon a time. Lady LOVELESS herself. Rude had dragged me to see the show once, and while I hadn't really been into it, that girl had been pretty hot. Hell of a surprise when the boss had told us she was really his runaway daughter.

How long had it been since that night? Two years? Sounded about right. Her old man had sent us to bring her in but hadn't told us why. It had been just another job—at least at first. What the boss did and why wasn't our problem or our business. The girl hadn't been alone though. She'd had that SOLDIER boyfriend of hers with her. They had put up a pretty good fight and had managed to get away from us. But not before tellin' us what her old man had in store for her. That he'd been plannin' to have her killed. His own damn daughter.

Me and Rude had gotten ahead of them while they'd been tryin' to make it to the expressway, so we'd been waitin' by the alley by the time they'd finally shown up. Between us in front and Shinra troops on their way to catch up from behind, we'd had them cornered. But… wouldn't ya know it, my damn conscience just had to act up again. Dunno why, but I just didn't wanna be part of killin' a cute girl like her. Neither did Rude. So… we let her go. Moved outta the way so she could make it to safety with her boyfriend and escape.

"You could use some R & R," Tseng told me.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good."

He frowned. "That wasn't a suggestion, Reno. Consider it an order. You're suspended until further notice."

"Whatever," I sighed. "Those orders were bullshit."

Bringin' someone in or takin' on those Avalanche assholes was one thing, but droppin' a whole city onto the slums and killin' thousands of people was just… wrong. And that girl had known it, had gotten me to see what I'd already started to wonder about. And that's why I'd backed off. I didn't care about bein' sidelined. I'd be back on duty soon enough. I just couldn't follow shitty orders like that.

Tseng folded his arms in front of him. "Whether they were or not, you disobeyed orders. That has a cost."

"Yeah, yeah…" I muttered.

"What are we going to do about Sector 7?" Rude asked.

Tseng looked at him. "Nothing."

"Been thinking," Rude said. "Was all that necessary? Destroying an entire city? Ending all those lives?"

"Think of them as a sacrifice," Tseng answered.

I blinked. "Say what?"

"To balance the scales," he went on. "After all that we've taken from the planet over the years, we were due to give something back. Perhaps that will help ease your conscience."

"Yeah… nope," I grimaced. "Not a chance."

Tseng shrugged. "As you wish. In the meantime, we're shorthanded thanks to your injuries and, shall we say, questionable decisions. So we need to find someone to fill in for you."

"What about Elena?" Rude suggested.

Tseng glanced at him. "Gina's sister? Perhaps. She's young but quite skilled. Hmm… very well. I'll look into it."

I sat up. "She's a bartender in Wall Market, ain't she?"

"At _The Don's Delight,"_ Rude confirmed.

Just then, Tseng's phone rang. Rude and I both looked at him as he answered. He didn't say anything for a long moment, but from the way his face suddenly went all dark and serious, I knew somethin' was goin' down. After a minute or two, he gave a quick reply and hung up. Then he turned back to us and leaned forward.

"The VP needs us," he said. "He'll be here soon."

I stared at him. "Yo… you serious?"

Tseng stood up. "He's already on his way. He'll be here tonight. But you are to stay here, Reno. Rude, you're with me."

"Understood," Rude said.

"Have fun, partner," I waved to him.

He gave me one of his rare little smiles. "Will do."

Then he and Tseng left to get ready for the VP's arrival. We had all known this was gonna happen sooner or later. It was just kinda strange that it finally was. Things were about to change around here a lot, and I hoped it'd be for the better. New blood and all that. But no matter what happened, Shinra wasn't gonna be the same.

* * *

"Damn!" I swore.

I pushed again on the door, but it wouldn't budge. Not that it was a surprise, of course, but I had to try, and it was as good an outlet for my frustration as any. Tifa and I had been locked together in this little cell about fifteen minutes ago while Barret and Red were in the one next to us. I didn't know where Aerith was, though. But I intended to save her. We just had to find a way to escape.

"Try to stay calm, Cloud," Tifa urged me.

I turned to look at her. She was sitting on the lone cot in our cell, a place clearly intended for one prisoner, not two. There was also a small toilet, sink, and mirror in the back. Tifa had made use of them not too long after we'd been put in here, a small, embarrassed smile on her face as she had asked me to turn around. I'd done it, of course. It was about as much privacy as we could get in here.

I sighed. "Yeah, I know, Tif. And I will. It's just…"

"You're worried about Aerith and Jessie," she finished for me.

"That's right," I admitted.

She leaned forward. "Think we can get out?"

"Leave it to me," I smirked, relaxing a little. "I'll find us a way. Can't keep a SOLDIER locked up for long."

Tifa winked. "That's more like it. Don't give up!"

"Not happening," I assured her.

"Good," she nodded. "That's the brave Cloud I know. Say… do you think we can talk to Barret and Red?"

I went over to the door. "I think so. There's a window there. It's got bars and it's small, but it should work. Better keep quiet, though. Don't want the guard to overhear us."

"Right," Tifa agreed. "Give it a try."

I stood in front of the door and looked out into the hall and to the right. "Barret? Can you hear me?"

"That you, merc?" he came back a moment later.

"Yeah. Happy to hear me?" I quipped.

He snorted. "Wouldn't go that far. So, anyway… lemme see if I got all this straight. Aerith's an Ancient, right? An' they was also known as the Cetra. They know all 'bout the promised land, an' that's why Shinra took Aerith. They after the promised land 'cause they believe it's rich in mako—mako they ain't got a right to claim. But they gonna try an' take it anyway. Greedy bastards'll never stop. They'll jus' keep suckin' out all the mako 'till it's gone an' the land dies."

"That's the short of it," I said.

Just then, I heard another voice. "Guys! Are you there?"

"Aerith?" I blinked. "You okay?"

Her soft laughter came from the cell on our left. "Yeah, I'm alright. Never doubted you come to save me."

"Of course. I'm your bodyguard, remember?" I said.

"Yep!" she answered. "Jessie's too."

I sighed as I thought of her. "Aerith… is she… is she still alive? You said you can sense her, right?"

Tifa got up and joined me. "Don't let it be too late…"

"It's not, Tifa," Aerith assured her. "Glad you're here, too. I can feel Jessie's spirit, and although it's very weak right now, she hasn't returned to the planet yet. We can still save her."

Although I was relieved at what she'd said, I couldn't help worrying about Jessie. "How is it you know all this?"

"It's not something that works with just anyone," Aerith explained. "I have to know the person pretty well. Jessie's an old friend, very close. We met when she was still acting on the plate. So I can sense her spirit if I concentrate. It was the same way with Mom's husband. Although I'd never met him, she had talked about him so often with me and we had grown so close that I could feel him, too."

Tifa nodded. "That makes sense. But there's something I wanted to ask you. Is the promised land real, Aerith? Shinra believes it is and that you can lead them there. Can you?"

"I don't know if it's real," she answered. "But even if it is, I can't take them there. It's not like that, Tifa."

Barret spoke up then. "'We who are born of the planet, with her we speak and her flesh we shape. And unto her promised land she will one day return. By her providence, love, and grace will we take our place in paradise and be with her forever.'"

"You know it!" Aerith replied, astonished.

"Yeah, well… thought that last bit was jus' a fairy tale," he said. "At least I used to. Not so sure anymore, though."

She went on. "Shinra's been searching for it a long time. All I really know is that the Cetra were born from the planet, speak with it, and at the right time, unlock it. And then… they return to the promised land, a place of perfect joy and happiness."

"What does that mean?" Tifa wondered.

"More than words…" Aerith murmured. "I don't know."

I wasn't sure I understood it myself. "Speak with the planet? What's it say, Aerith? Can you tell us?"

"It's so noisy, all those people everywhere," she answered. "So most of the time it's hard for me to make out what it's saying. And that's also why I can't sense someone I don't know. With all the voices out there, I need an anchor to guide me to a specific person. Friendship, love, that sort of thing. My past with Jessie, how close we were, is what allows me to sense her spirit. I can feel her even now, fighting to hold on. But she won't be able to resist the planet's call forever."

"How long?" I asked.

Aerith swallowed. "Two hours, maybe a little more. If I can't get to her by then… there won't be anything I can do."

I sighed. "Understood. So, about the planet… you can hear it now? Even locked up in this place?"

"Not so much here," she said. "Mostly in the old church back in the slums. Mother told me Midgar wasn't safe for me anymore. I mean, my real mother. Someday I'll leave this city, speak with the planet, and find the promised land in me. But now? Not even if I wanted to. I thought I would stop hearing her voice as I grew up, but… I didn't. It's both nice and sad. I still miss her, you know."

Barret thumped his fist against his door. "Awright. New plan, guys. Y'all take Aerith an' get outta here. Get her home so she can save Jessie. Me, I'm gonna go bust some Shinra heads."

"Barret, wait!" Aerith argued. "You can't do that!"

"You an' Jessie need savin', an' I'm gonna make sure it happens," he told her. "Y'all are parta Avalanche, too. Means it's my responsibility to look out for you guys. You, Cloud, Tifa… what about you, Red? You in on bein' the newest member of Avalanche?"

Red just yawned. "Grandpa…"

Barret laughed along with the girls. "Grandpa? Seriously?"

"What's so funny?" Red wondered.

"Nothing, Red," Aerith giggled. "Thanks for lightening things up a bit, though. I think it really helped."

Red's voice was faintly amused. "You're welcome."

"Say, Cloud…" Tifa looked at me. "You remember back when you, me, and Aerith were in the sewers and we were talking about how all of this seems to have happened before? I was just thinking, could this be a part of it, too? Our being here, that is."

I thought for a moment. "I don't know, but maybe. Based on those dreams I had about Jessie and what happened in the pillar, we changed her fate. Maybe we did for Biggs and Wedge, too. I don't know that any of them made it out alive before this."

"The hell you guys talkin' 'bout?" Barret sputtered.

It was Red that answered. "Destiny. The flow of the great river that is the planet, from inception to oblivion. But it is by no means unique. The planet has a will of its own, a record of the lives and events within it. However, like any tale, it shifts and changes with each retelling. And it may be possible to affect it from within."

"Like changing things so that Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge survived the plate collapse when they didn't before," Tifa said.

"Exactly," Red replied.

Barret huffed. "Wait jus' a damn minute! Ain't you jus' some kinda lab rat dog… thing? How the hell can you know any of that stuff? Ain't makin' no sense. Although… if that's why Jessie an' the guys are alive, I guess I can't really complain 'bout it."

Red went on. "As for how I know, where I come from, we study the planet in great detail. My grandfather knows much about it. And it was he and the elders who instructed me."

"In any case, we're not gonna split up," I decided. "We're all getting outta here together. That includes you, Barret."

He chuckled. "I'm touched, merc."

"Don't let it go to your head," I told him.

"We should get a little rest first," Aerith suggested. "I have a feeling we'll need it for what's ahead of us."

I glanced back in her direction. "Do we have time?"

"Just enough," she said. "Don't worry."

"Alright. Fifteen minutes, people. Then we bust outta here, head to the first floor, find our rides, and get to the expressway. That elevator's still there at the end of Sector 5 from what Marissa told us, remember? Same one Jessie used a few years ago."

Aerith answered right away. "I know the one, Cloud. It'll take us by the outer wall right near the old church."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I've got Marissa's keycard so we can get back in. Go on and rest up now, everyone."

Aerith, Barret, and Red murmured their agreement and drifted off to catch a short nap, and as Tifa and I moved away from the door to do the same, I set the alarm on my phone so I would wake up on time. As we approached the cot, I pointed to it. There was a plain sheet, blanket, and pillow on it. Basic, but it would do.

"Take it," I told her.

She smiled. "Are you sure, Cloud?"

I sat down across from the narrow bed with my back to the wall. "I am. Go ahead, Tif. I'll be fine. I've slept in worse."

"I don't doubt it," she laughed. "Goodnight, Cloud."

"Night, Tifa," I answered.

As she laid down on the cot and stretched out, I folded my arms in front me and closed my eyes. At first, I couldn't sleep. Something didn't feel right about this whole situation, but I couldn't figure out why. And worry for Jessie gnawed at me. I didn't like the delay, but I knew Aerith was right. After all the sneaking and fighting that we'd done to make it this far, we needed to rest before we'd be ready to make our final escape from the Shinra Building and race to the slums.

Just a few minutes later, sleep finally overtook me.

* * *

The holographic display was hovering in front of me, projected by the sophisticated headset I was wearing. It was the same one I had used to speak with Jessica just prior to the plate collapse. I tried, not entirely successfully, not to think about her as I concentrated on the task before me. Worry for her gnawed relentlessly at me, but I reminded myself to focus on the mission. Her life depended on it.

Jessica's friends in Avalanche had been captured and placed within the prison cells on the 67th floor. Through Cait Sith, I had witnessed a great deal of their rescue operation, much more than they realized, and had aided them as much as possible. Still, I should've known the Turks would've had a trap ready. They were as clever as they were dangerous. My mistake had cost Cloud and his friends their freedom, but I meant to correct that oversight as quickly as possible.

Cait was almost back to the security office now. The display before me showed multiple images to help me in my efforts. On the first one, I had brought up a detailed schematic of the Shinra Building's interior, where Cait's position was displayed as a flashing yellow dot amidst the network of air ducts in between the 67th and 68th floors. A video feed next to it allowed me to see through his eyes, and another set of images below it showed me his power levels and current status. If he were ever damaged, I would know it immediately.

I was in my office, sitting at my desk as I monitored Cait's progress. The jammer sat nearby, active and blinking regularly as it continued to mask the signals his controls generated, and the door was locked. I had also sent Janice home for the night to keep her safe. Usually, she would stay after hours for a while to do a little extra work and prepare for the next day, but tonight I had insisted she leave on time.

Janice had kept many secrets for me over the years, but what I was doing—infiltrating the security area to break Cloud and the others out of their confinement—was simply too dangerous for her to be involved in. She would have stayed to help if I'd asked, but I hadn't wanted to do that. If the Turks or Heidegger somehow found out what I was up to, it would be over for me. Janice didn't need that trouble, however, and so I had done what I could to keep it from her.

I was already in enough trouble as it was. President Shinra finding out about the Sector 7 evacuation wasn't entirely a surprise to me, but I had still hoped he wouldn't. I hadn't really made much of a secret of it, however, so I suppose it couldn't be helped. In any case, it didn't matter to me at the moment. I had far more important things to worry about. My goddaughter desperately needed my help.

Cait was inside one of the air vents, closing in on the security area. If all went well, he would cause a little disruption to distract the guards and steal the keycard, then unlock the cells and free Jessica's friends so they could escape from here and save her.

"Can you get into the security net, Cait?" I asked. "We should be in range. It's encrypted, but I think we can bypass it."

He replied at once. "Aye, just a moment and I'll be in."

Just as I had thought. I could hear his voice through the headset. It reminded me of my father's, which brought a little smile to my face. He had always had a rather strong accent, as did my mother. That was why I had originally given it to Cait, I suppose.

I brought my thoughts back to the mission. "Alright. There are ten cells in the detention area, and we need to find out exactly which ones Cloud and the others are being held in."

"Let's see…" he said. "They're in A3, A4, and A5. Three in a row on the bottom half. I'll show ye in a jiffy."

"Understood," I replied.

Seconds later, another image appeared on the holographic display. It was a diagram showing the layout of the detention area, and the cells Cait had specified flashed white. Three in a row, just as he'd said. They were toward the back, with a number of empty cells between them and the exit. Another line of them stood across the way on other other side of the prison block. Now we knew where to go.

I gazed intently at the displays. "How many guards?"

"Two," Cait replied. "One in the office ahn one in the hall. Nothing I cannae handle. Shall I go ahead?"

"Move in when rea—just a moment," I said.

I looked up at once when I suddenly heard the lock turn. Quickly, I moved to start turning off the controls, but when the door opened, it was only Janice. She quickly closed and locked the door behind her as I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"Janice!" I stared at her. "You shouldn't be here. It's late."

She walked up to my desk. "I know, sir. But if you're going to break Jessica's friends out of prison, you may need help."

"How did you—" I began.

Janice flashed me a small smile. "Sir, the day something happens in here that I _don't_ know about, worry."

I couldn't resist a wry grin myself. "Thank you."

"Of course," she said. "Are you in?"

"Almost. I was just about to have Cait Sith get underway when you arrived," I explained, returning to the controls.

She knew about him, of course. So did the president and the other directors. However, they didn't know what I truly used him for. Neither were they aware of his connection to Jessica. That was a secret only he, Janice, and I knew. Sometimes, Janice would assist me with performing routine maintenance on him, and while she wasn't as familiar with the advanced technology in his design and operation as I was, she was still quite capable and very intelligent.

Janice walked around the desk and looked at the displays with me. "Hmm… I see. What's the diversion?"

"Power outage," I said. "Cait can steal the keycard in the confusion and unlock the cells before the guards know what's happening. At least, that's the plan. Any suggestions?"

She leaned closer to get a better look, and when she did, I caught a whiff of her perfume. It was a nice, floral scent, and my gazed lingered on her for a moment as I waited for her to answer. Janice had worn her favorite gray suit and white collared blouse to the office today, and her brown hair was, as always, tied in a short ponytail as she gazed intently at all the different readouts and at Cait's visual feed. Her eyes were soft, dark green, and not at all unattractive.

"You should have him disable the alarms as well," Janice pointed to the diagram of the security office. "That should give Cloud and the rest of Jessica's friends time to escape or at least be well on their way. What's your plan once you've broken them out?"

"I'll have Cait do what he can to delay security without being seen himself until Cloud and the others are safely away from the building," I answered. "I think that's about all I—"

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and the air grew noticeably colder, as if a chill breeze had suddenly swept through the entire building. All of Cait's controls went haywire, the displays shifting and distorting as his power levels and activity immediately dropped to zero. Then there was only static as his visual feed cut off, but just before it did, I saw the duct he was hiding in grow ominously dark.

"Cait! Cait!" I called, even knowing it was futile. "What's going on? Answer me! Cait! Say something!"

But there was no answer. Just silence and static. He was was intact, from what I could make out in the garbled displays, but that was about all I knew. Something wasn't right here, and my instincts told me Cait's strange malfunction and outage were more a byproduct than the target of the phenomenon gripping the building.

Janice shivered. "Sir… what's going on?"

"I wish I knew…" I sighed.

As we both gazed up toward the ceiling and our hopes far above it, the cold deepened around us. In the midst of my worry about Cait and Jessica and my unease about what was happening, I felt a soft flutter in my stomach as I suddenly realized that Janice had taken my hand. She blushed rather deeply and immediately let go when she saw it, as if she hadn't even been aware of what she had done. Her touch had felt good, but… I didn't know how to tell her.

Instead, I swallowed and turned my attention back to the controls. "Let's see if we can get Cait back online…"

"Y-Yes, sir," Janice agreed.

We got right to work, neither of us speaking of what had happened between us, but it lingered in the back of my mind nonetheless. Gazing at the displays helped focus my attention, however. It would take some time for us to get Cait reactivated, but from what I could tell, he didn't appear to be permanently damaged. The lights came back on steadily a moment later, but the icy chill in the air remained. And I couldn't help but feel a terrible foreboding about what lay ahead and what might still be happening somewhere upstairs.


	18. SEVENTEEN

## SEVENTEEN

_I found myself outside Aerith's house, the gentle rush of the waterfall filling my ears. Flowers covered the hillside just like always, and streams flowed peacefully amidst the gardens. It was nighttime, the sky dark and the only light coming from a few standing lamps placed here and there as well as the warm glow coming from the windows._

_But I wasn't alone. She was there, too._

_As I crossed one of the wooden bridges, I saw her. Jessie was standing with her back to me in the midst of the garden, gazing up at the steel sky and the city looming overhead. We could just make out a few stars in the gaps between the plate sections. They shone brightly beyond the mist and mako constantly swirling far above us._

" _Pretty, isn't it?" she asked, still facing away from me._

_I nodded. "Yeah. Sure is."_

_Jessie turned around then, showing no sign of the injuries that might still claim her life. My heart raced when she smiled, and I stepped a little closer to her, not really sure what was going on but just glad that I could be with her here, even if only for a little while. I only hoped this wouldn't be the last time we'd be together._

" _It's been quite a while since I was last here," Jessie murmured. "Lots of good memories, even though I only lived in this place for a short time. It really helped, though. I needed the calm here."_

" _Aerith told me she and her mom took you in," I said._

_She picked up a flower. "That's right. Just after I left the plate. Found my outfit while I was here, too. Made it myself, you know. After that hell house did a real number on me, I knew I'd need more protection if I was gonna make it down here and survive."_

_I noticed her Avalanche gear was undamaged. "Did a good job. Kept you pretty much in one piece when you—"_

" _No, don't tell me," she said, lifting her hand up in front of her to cut me off. "You see, I… I can't remember what happened in the pillar after I stared down that chopper. I've tried, but… it's all blocked out. And I have to find a way to remember it on my own to get out of… wherever it is I'm at now. Don't ask me why, it's just what I feel."_

" _Alright, but… what do you mean, where you're at?" I asked._

_She lowered her arm. "Thanks, Cloud. It's kinda hard to explain. I've been hovering in the dark, and I'm not even entirely sure if… if I'm alive. I know something happened up there, something that sent me to where I am now. If I'm not… dead… then remembering what happened is what I have to do to come back. I have to know."_

_I took her in my arms. "You're not dead, Jessie. I can tell you at least that much. You're hanging on, fighting like you always have. You're here, at Aerith's house, and we're gonna save you."_

" _So it really was you…" Jessie marveled, clinging to me._

" _What was?" I asked._

_She gazed tenderly at me. "This might sound kinda weird, but… I've been seeing images of my life, as far back as my Shinra days, almost as if I'm reliving them. And I think I understand what it is now. It must be my mind's way of trying to figure out what happened to me. By seeing how I got there, I guess. Anyway, in the midst of all that, I heard you talking to me, telling me to hold on and keep fighting."_

" _You heard me?" I stared at her, my jaw dropping._

_Her lips touched mine. "Every word. It's helped me stay afloat. I also heard Barret and Tifa, too. I don't know what's going on out there, but… I'm glad you guys are still there for me."_

_I returned her kiss. "Always. You're gonna make it."_

" _Well, this is certainly helping," she teased._

" _Then take as much as you need," I said, holding her close._

_She smiled. "Oh, I intend to."_

_Then we got back to work, sharing soft kisses in the faint light of the garden. It felt so real, as if I was actually there with her. The moistness of her lips and tongue, the warmth of her body, the floral scent of her hair. I could sense it all, and it made my heart race. Eventually, we finally came up for air, our eyes lingering on each other._

" _So anyway, are we… dreaming?" I wondered._

_Jessie shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe. Or maybe not. I don't think it really matters. But whatever it was that happened in the pillar, I know you did everything you could. For me and Sector 7."_

" _Jessie…" I began._

_She pressed her finger lightly against my mouth. "Ah, ah. Remember what I told you. I've gotta figure this out on my own. Just… be here with me for a while, okay? I've missed you."_

_I nodded as she let go. "Sure. Same here."_

" _Wanna know something funny?" Jessie smirked. "I was just thinking about you before I wound up here. Remembering, actually. The night we first met. When you saved me from those thugs."_

" _We kicked their asses," I nodded._

_She laughed. "You're damn right! We made a pretty good team, huh? Those guys never stood a chance."_

_I knew we did. "Yeah. And we will again."_

" _Can't wait, merc," Jessie said, taking my hands in hers._

" _Listen, Jessie…" I told her, not sure how much longer we had in this place. "We're inside the Shinra Building now—me, Barret, and Tifa. Met a new friend here, too. Red. You'll meet him when we get back. We came here to save Aerith, and we did. Got caught on the way out, but we're not giving up. We're gonna break outta here soon and escape. And then we're gonna save you. So keep holding on."_

_She gave my hands a gentle squeeze. "Will do, Cloud."_

_I reached into my shirt, knowing what I'd find in there, and carefully pulled out her star pendant. "Found something you left behind. When we fought Hojo's monsters to rescue Aerith, it protected me and kept me safe. You saved me, saved us all. So… thanks."_

_Her lips fused tightly with mine in a fierce kiss, and when she pulled away, she smiled brightly. "Happy to lend a hand! Remember what I told you before our first mission, Cloud? I'll always take care of my hero, just like he takes care of me. That's a promise."_

_I held her for a while, just enjoying this quiet moment together in the garden, flowers around our feet and the sound of the waterfall soft in our ears. As we stood there with our arms around each other, Jessie's head on my shoulder, I saw the Hardy parked over by the front patio of the house. Jessie looked up and saw it too, her mouth curling into a little grin when she did. And I knew exactly what she had in mind._

" _How 'bout a ride, mister?" she teased._

_I smirked. "Let's mosey."_

_We got on the bike, and I started it up as Jessie slid her arms around my waist and brushed her lips across my cheek. The sound of the Hardy's engine as we pulled out and drove down the narrow road was loud in the stillness, but we didn't mind. This was our time, and as we headed down the dirt streets of the Sector 5 slums, I realized it was empty. There wasn't anyone else here. We had it all to ourselves in this strange place that was more than just a dream. I didn't know what it was, and I didn't care. All that mattered was that I was with Jessie._

_With the wind from our acceleration tossing our hair, she and I sped onto the tracks at the station and into the Corkscrew Tunnel. No soldiers bothered us this time as we drove upward toward the plate. We barreled our way forward along a narrow service road set in between the two sets of tracks, the red lights on the walls flashing past us in a blur. And then I noticed a ramp and barrels ahead of us._

" _Hang on tight, Jessie!" I told her as I hit the gas._

_She did, whooping in delight when we shot off the ramp, the Hardy's front wheel high in the air. "Whoo-hoo!"_

_I laughed a little as we came down. "You liked that?"_

" _Oh definitely, SOLDIER boy," she giggled. "You always know how to take my breath away. And my heart."_

" _Promised you a bike ride, remember?" I said._

_She hugged me from behind as we drove on. "Of course! But we have to do this later after I'm back, too. And then there's that pizza I owe you. I haven't forgotten about our date, Cloud."_

_I nodded. "Neither have I."_

_We made it to the Sector 5 plate a short time later and raced out into the streets. It was dark aside from a few streetlamps and the pale glow of the Hardy's headlight as we went down the road. Those huge spotlights in front of the Shinra Building also shone out into the night and illuminated the city. The place, as usual, towered over everything, but I put it behind us as we pulled onto the expressway._

" _You know where you're going, right?" Jessie asked._

" _Yeah," I answered. "End of the line."_

_Her voice was quieter when she spoke again. "It was a new beginning for me. When I went there. Led me to you."_

" _And it will again," I told her._

_We sped down the empty highway, the breeze and the purring of the bike's engine the only sounds we could hear along with the soft whisper of our breathing. The mako and mist rose overhead, and the stars sparkled high above them as the road lay open and inviting before us, a wide strip of gray concrete with its white dashed lines that curved first one way and then another as it wound above the city._

_Eventually, we passed through an abandoned toll booth and came to a dead end at the edge of the plate. A guardrail stood on either side of the road, and some old construction equipment was rusting off to the left. A red light flashed at regular intervals at the highway's end, and as I finally brought the Hardy to a stop, I could see the badlands rolling away in the distance. The clear sky before us was tinged with the faint glow of dawn, and as I gazed at it, I felt an odd mixture of anticipation and foreboding, as if I was at a turning point of some kind._

" _It's pretty…" Jessie murmured, looking with me._

_I turned around on the bike so I was facing her. "Yeah. But… not as much as what I'm looking at now."_

_Her smile was immediate. "Come here…"_

_I did, wrapping my arms around her, and for a while we just kissed. Long, lingering ones, our mouths moving passionately against each other as our tongues danced, sending volts of current into my brain and setting my blood on fire. We took as much of each other as we could, knowing it would be some time before we could do this again, in the real world. And all too soon, we had to come up for air._

" _We're almost out of time," Jessie murmured._

_I felt it, too. "Yeah. It's getting darker now. Less real. But don't worry, Jessie. We're gonna come save you, I promise. Just like I told you. So hold on for as long as you can. Do whatever you have to do to stay with us. It won't be much longer. We're almost there."_

_She smirked. "I will, Cloud. Can't resist ya."_

" _Don't I know it," I quipped._

" _You've just got that hunky SOLDIER charm," Jessie teased. "Gets me every time. And those baby blues of yours."_

_I kissed her. "All yours."_

_She giggled. "Lucky me! I could gaze at them for hours."_

" _I'll bet," I said._

" _Oh, yeah," Jessie smiled. "But anyway, you know the elevator I used to get to the slums? It's right over there, past all the junk."_

_I followed her gaze and nodded. "I see it."_

_She clung to me as the world started to fade away around us. "Okay. Then you know where to go. Good luck, Cloud. And hurry back. I… I'm starting to fall away again. I can feel it. Back into my memories. But I'm not gonna forget the time we spent here."_

" _Me either," I told her._

_Even as the darkness grew, Jessie still felt solid and real. I held her as long as I could. Soon there was just the road and the sky. The Hardy was gone, and we stood at the edge of a city being swallowed by shadows. We shared one last kiss in the midst of it, neither of us wanting to let go. But all too soon, Jessie started to fade away as well, and I knew that our time with each other was almost over._

_She touched my cheek. "So long, merc. See you soon."_

" _You will," I promised._

_Jessie kept smiling, her eyes never leaving mine as I suddenly realized I couldn't feel her anymore. She was transparent now, like a ghost, as the dream began to dissolve, and I knew that I must've looked the same way to her. But just before she disappeared completely and I felt myself pulled toward wakefulness, I heard her say one last thing. Her soft voice was all around me, and I clung to it in the darkness._

" _I love you…"_

* * *

When I woke up, the cell door was open.

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I quickly got to my feet, shivering at the chill hanging in the air. It hadn't been this way earlier, I was sure. Memories of the dream still hovered in my mind, images of Jessie and I in the garden at Aerith's house, riding the Hardy up to the plate, gazing at dawn rising slowly over the badlands. Sharing tender kisses, the feel of her in my arms, and that sly, cheeky smile of hers. I wasn't gonna let those moments together be our last.

Tifa was still sleeping, so I crept into the hall as quietly as I could. I got to the far end, where it bent left toward the security office, just in time to see that little black tail again, swishing around the corner out of sight. But that wasn't what held my attention. I froze, forgetting for just a moment about our hidden ally as I took in the horrible sight in front of me and a shiver raced up my spine.

The guard who'd been assigned here was dead, lying on his back in a steadily widening pool of his own blood, his face frozen in terror. He hadn't just been killed. He'd been torn apart. His hand still clutched his gun, but it wasn't connected to his body anymore, and deep gashes had been ripped across his chest and throat.

I hurried back to the cell. "Tifa, wake up!"

As I shook her shoulder, her eyes flew open. "Cloud? Sorry, I didn't mean to drift off so much, I was just—is it me, or did it get a lot colder in here while we were asleep? And it's so quiet…"

"Door's open," I told her.

"What?" she sat up and looked for herself. "How?"

I folded my arms in front of me. "Our little friend. Saw him again for a second when I went out there to have a look around. Just the tail, though. But enough about that. Something's wrong."

Tifa stood up. "What do you mean?"

"Better have a look outside, Tif," I said. "It's not pretty."

She hurried out into the hall, and I followed her, not liking the odd stillness that seemed to have settled over the place. It was too quiet, not like when we'd first been brought here. When Tifa and I got to the end of the hall and she saw the body, she gasped, her eyes widening and her hand flying to her mouth as she fell back a step.

"Oh, my… what happened to him?" she shuddered.

I shook my head. "I don't know. But we need to get the others out. Their cells should be unlocked, too. Go get Aerith, Tif, fast as you can. I'll see to Barret and Red. Hurry!"

Tifa moved at once, racing straight to Aerith's cell while I made my way down the hall to the one Barret and Red were in. The door was, as I'd thought, unlocked, and I opened it and went in. Both of my friends were still asleep, Barret snoring loudly with every breath. Wedge hadn't been kidding about that. Red lay curled up in the corner, the end of his flaming tail floating just above the floor.

I hurried over and shook Barret awake. "Get up! Now!"

"Huh?" he blinked, quickly sitting up on the cot. "How'd you get in here, merc? Why's the door open?"

"Something's wrong," I told him. "Come on!"

Red stirred and got to his feet. "There is a strange chill in the air. It doesn't bode well. And I smell blood…"

Barret shivered. "Goddamn… this ain't good."

"No shit," I agreed. "Let's go."

We raced back out the door, Red easily passing us as he sped down the hall. Aerith joined us on the way, Tifa just behind her as they came out of her cell. When we caught up with Red, he was gazing intently at the body and sniffing every so often.

Barret clenched his fist. "What's the hell's goin' on!?"

"This is so eerie…" Tifa murmured.

"What could've done this?" Aerith shivered.

Red flattened his ears. "Nothing human. I'm certain of it. Our gear must be in the security office. I'll go first."

"Go ahead, guys," Barret said. "I'll watch y'all's backs."

I nodded. "Copy. Let's move."

A trail of blood led away from the dead guard in a thick line of red drops and smears around the corner and down the hall ahead of us. As Red padded off in front, I came behind him, my eyes and ears alert for trouble. The girls came after, and Barret brought up the rear. The door to the security office was open, sparks shooting up every so often from the jammed locking mechanism.

The lights were flickering inside, and the monitors were either full of static or a garbled mess. The second guard was slumped in his chair, his chest ripped open. Blood spattered the large console in front of him and coated the computer screen on top of it. His ID hung from a metal clip on what was left of his uniform. Aerith swallowed and reached out a trembling hand to take a look at it.

"Kellin Pierce," she read, her voice unsteady.

I laid a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Aerith. You okay?"

She looked at me uneasily. "About as much you'd expect, Cloud. It's frightening, what's going on. Like we just stepped into one of those bad horror movies, you know? I hate this…"

"Not too thrilled about it myself," I agreed.

"Mind distracting me for a minute?" she asked, turning away from the body. "I need something to keep me from getting too scared. After all, you _are_ my bodyguard, remember?"

I nodded while the others spread out to search for our gear. "Yeah. Let's see now…ah, okay. Got it. While I was sleeping, I had another one of those dreams. But it was different. Better."

"What was it like?" she asked.

I led her away from the bloodied console. "Peaceful."

Aerith smiled. "You saw her, didn't you?"

"Right," I said. Then a thought occurred to me. "You wouldn't have had anything do with that, would you?"

She winked. "Maybe."

"That another of your abilities?" I wondered.

"Well, I don't really know," Aerith said. "After we finished talking, I just prayed for a little bit. To the planet, that is. About our situation and what we had to do. And for you and Jessie. I'm just worried about her. I could sense her spirit, trying to reach out. Trying to find herself. And I thought it might help if she could see you. And for you to see her. I'm a little surprised it actually worked, though."

I thought of all that Jessie and I had felt and shared together in that place. "Oh, it worked, alright. Helped us both."

"Good," Aerith said. "I was really hoping it would."

I nodded. "Yeah. And… thanks."

She beamed. "Anytime."

"Cloud!" Barret came over and held out Buster for me. "Found our stuff over in a supply closet. Here ya go."

I took it. "Alright. Better get set up quick, guys."

Tifa tossed Aerith her staff. "We're on it!"

"Ready!" she said, giving it an expert spin. "Whatever's going on, I don't think it's just Shinra anymore. They started it for sure. But there's another threat coming. A much bigger one. And I just want to help you all… and the planet… to stop it."

I felt the same way. Something that could just waltz into one of the Shinra Building's most restricted floors and so brutally kill everyone in its path was definitely a threat. One I intended to fight. Time was short and running out, but we had to know what was going on and who had done this. I had a hunch, a dark suspicion about who had to be behind it, but I hoped to hell I was wrong.

We quickly gathered the rest of our gear and materia, got it set and equipped same as before, and hurried out of the security office, Red in the lead again. Fortunately, the guards hadn't found Lena's medicine, so it was still safely with us as we made our way down the hall. The blood trail led us back to the main intersection and, just as I'd thought, made a right, taking us back into the Science Division.

"I was afraid of that…" Tifa sighed.

I grimaced. "I know. Me too. Gotta keep going, though."

She took a deep breath. "Right. Let's go."

Inside the storage facility were more bodies. Hojo's aides, sprawled out on the floor amidst a jumble of broken crates, their faces frozen in terror. Blood was everywhere, but the main trail still went on, winding past some of the clear glass cylinders for the specimens. I noticed with a start that a lot of them were broken, the creatures gone. My eyes went to the shadows, but there was nothing there. Only that cold, oppressive stillness. I swallowed and moved on.

We stopped short when we came to Jenova's dome in the middle of the area a minute later. A large puddle of blood coated the floor ahead of us, and in the middle of it was another body. The assistant Hojo had been talking to earlier. More blood was splattered across the side of the glass cylinder where we'd first seen Red. But what made a cold shiver of dread race down my spine was Jenova's dome.

It was open.

The thick steel door had been torn off its hinges, but I couldn't tell whether from outside or in. Either way, Jenova was gone. And that had to mean that _he_ was here. Sephiroth. My blood boiled at the thought of him, of what he'd done to me so long ago. Had he really come back? As much as I wanted to, I couldn't ignore the possibility. And if he had, we had an old score to settle. He had to be stopped.

"Jenova…" Red murmured. "Hojo's most prized specimen."

I looked at him. "Where'd it go?"

Red padded forward a little. "Look, Cloud. The blood trail goes on. Jenova must've taken the specimen transport lift upstairs. But why did it awaken? It was dormant until now…"

"Do you think it wanted us to escape?" Aerith wondered.

Tifa glanced at her. "Why do you say that?"

Aerith sighed uneasily. "Both guards were killed. Certainly made it a lot easier for us to get outta there."

I had to agree. Didn't like the implication, though. Why would that thing possibly help us? It didn't make any sense. We had a clear path to the upper floors, if the blood trail was any indication, and I wasn't sure I liked the sound of that. Were we being led somewhere? I just hoped it wouldn't take too long for us to find out what was going on here. Jessie still needed us, and I meant to get to her.

"Too easy," I agreed. "How much time do we have?"

Tifa checked her phone. "Let me see… looks like we were out for… almost an hour! Aerith! Is she…!?"

Aerith concentrated for a moment. "No, Tifa. Jessie's still alive. But she's fading. We have to hurry. She's only got another hour left. But not any more than that. Time's running out…"

"Damn!" I swore. "What happened to the alarm?"

Red looked around. "This entire area seems to have suffered some kind of electrical disturbance while we were asleep, Cloud. See how all the lights and monitors here are damaged, flickering intermittently, or not working at all? Your phones may have been affected to some extent as well. Don't blame yourself for this."

I nodded. "Thanks, Red. Lead the way."

"Of course," he said.

As we hurried toward the main lift, three monsters swooped down at us from behind a stack of crates and another specimen cylinder that had been shattered open. They floated in midair with four arms, a long thin body, and two things like horns rising from their heads. Instead of legs, they had a thick tail with a sharp talon at the end, and they gazed at us with half a dozen bulbous red eyes.

Red growled. "Varghids. Mind the tails! They can paralyze you for a short time if they hit. Be careful!"

I drew Buster. "Copy. Take 'em out!"

The others didn't hesitate. While Tifa, Red, and I rushed in to work up close, Aerith and Barret hung back and gave us ranged support with gunfire and spells. It wasn't a long battle, but it was intense. I slashed at the nearest varghid, hitting it dead on and driving it back while Tifa hit another with a flurry of punches and Red pounced onto the third with a running charge that knocked it out of the air.

While he tore it apart with his claws and a blast of lightning magic, Tifa took a glancing hit from one of her varghid's arms in exchange for getting in a pair of diving kicks followed by a heavy punch that left the monster reeling. Barret finished it off with a hail of bullets. At the same time, I narrowly avoided getting stung by the first varghid's tail before I countered by whipping an arc of pale green energy at it with my sword as Aerith let loose with a fireball. The monster screeched and started to shake all over, then swooped right at me.

"Shit!" I swore, realizing what was about to happen.

I dove aside just as the varghid exploded, self-destructing where I'd been just a moment ago. Once the dust had settled, I glanced quickly at the others. They all seemed to be okay for the most part. While Aerith topped us off with a healing wind, Tifa hurried over and took my hand to help me get back to my feet.

"You okay, Cloud?" she asked.

I nodded as I stood up and shouldered Buster. "Yeah. Thanks, Tif. Didn't know they could do that."

"We do now," she chuckled. "Ready to move on?"

"Let's go," I answered.

We made it the rest of the way to the elevator without running into anything else, and once we were all inside, I pressed the button to take us back upstairs to the 68th floor. Jenova was up there somewhere, one way or another, and we had to stop her. And whoever had set her loose if she hadn't gotten out on her own. I had an idea of who that might've been, and my fist tightened at the thought.

If he was behind this, I was gonna take him down.


	19. EIGHTEEN

## EIGHTEEN

I led Cloud and the others out of the lift and back to the 68th floor, the scent of blood strong in my nose. Like the lower level, the lights in this place were either flickering or had gone out entirely, leaving many shadows as we made our way down the hall to the second elevator. The doors along the way were still mostly closed, but some had large dents, and a few others had all been torn from their hinges, the rooms inside ripped apart by Hojo's escaped specimens.

We encountered a few of them on our way down the hall. Zenenes. Four of them sprang out from a ruined, sparking doorway to our right, snarling and clawing. Four-legged things with brown fur, bright orange manes, spikes along their spines, and apelike faces. One leapt at Aerith, its jaws gaping open, but I slammed into it with a low growl of my own and swiped at it with my forepaws.

The zenene and I went tumbling across the hall, but I didn't let up. I continued fighting as my friends did the same, cutting and smashing and shooting at the monsters with weapons and spells. But the zenenes had magic of their own, fireballs they hurled at us. One of them singed my fur a bit as it flew past to blow a hole in the wall, but I shook off the pain and retaliated with a fork of lightning that threw the monster into a nearby door. It didn't get up again.

There were still three other zenenes, however. And as with H0512, they were able to spew a cloud of poisonous vapor at us. But as soon as they did, Cloud motioned for the rest of us to fall back as he raced into the toxic green fumes, his friend's gift again shielding him and leaving him unaffected by the creatures' venom. He cut down two of them in a matter of seconds before they even knew it while Barret and I brought down the third with lightning magic and gunfire as the girls tended to our wounds with healing magic and potions.

When it was over, we moved on, taking the second lift to the upper level of Hojo's lab. There was more blood here, the trail leading onward from the testing chamber Aerith and I had been in earlier. Jenova had, just as I'd thought, used the specimen transport elevator to come here. Bodies lay scattered around the room, ripped apart much as those we'd seen earlier had been. It was eerily quiet as we made our way across the room. The trail led to a door on the bottom right. We were just getting close to it when I pulled up short.

"What is it, Red?" Cloud asked. "What's wrong?"

I glanced at the far side of the room. "I hear something. Someone's alive in here, Cloud. Over there."

Rapid, frightened breathing. It was coming from the corner on the other side of the testing chamber. I led the others over there, and in the gloom of Hojo's half-lit lab, I spotted someone crouching almost out of sight beneath the overhang from the enclosed second level. One of the aides who worked here. He was crouching, trying not be seen, and held his bloodied arm as he shivered.

I glanced at Aerith. "Can you help? He's wounded."

"Of course," she nodded. "Tifa?"

Tifa reached out to the man in his tattered lab coat. "It'll be alright. My friend's gonna help you, okay?"

He shivered but lifted his arm. "A-Alright…"

"Just hold still a moment," Aerith told him gently as she focused on the Restore materia. "This won't take long."

While the man did as she had instructed, Aerith cast the spell, and its healing magic swirled over him in a cluster of bright blue and green sparkles for a moment before dissipating. In its wake, the slashes in his arm slowly knitted themselves closed.

Aerith smiled. "There you go. How's that?"

"Better," he said. "Thank you. You're the Ancient, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," she answered.

The aide continued. "I thought I recognized you. Look, I… I'm not your enemy. I can prove it—you've got a keycard, right? I can update it so you can access the top two floors. That's where the president's office is. And where you're going, too."

Cloud knelt in front of him. "What happened here?"

"I didn't see much," the man said. "I was just running some tests on a few cell samples over here when the power started acting up and our systems went crazy. And then… something came here through the lift we use to transport specimens from downstairs."

"Did you see what it was?" Tifa asked.

The man shook his head. "Half the lights blew out when it arrived. All I saw was a dark blur moving through the lab, a shape that might've been a man, but… I don't know. It killed anyone in its path, and what it missed, the specimens that broke loose in all the confusion tore apart. I barely managed to get away from a zenene after it clawed my arm. And I've been hiding over here ever since."

Cloud grimaced. "Do you know where it went?"

"That way," the man pointed to the door leading into the other half of the lab. "I think it was going upstairs. But with the systems fried, the bridges in the Drum might've retracted. You'll have to figure out a way to extend them if you're gonna follow that thing."

"Anything else?" Cloud went on.

Hojo's aide reached into his pocket and withdrew a glowing yellow orb. "Here. A new materia we've been developing based on our analysis of different monsters. It'll allow you to use some of their skills, but you need to be hit by them yourself first. Unfortunately, we didn't have the chance to fully test the materia's skill acquisition and storage processes before all this happened, so it doesn't have any abilities stored within it yet. But if you have it equipped, it should work."

I took it and placed it into my headdress. There were three slots in the mythril clip holding it together, two linked and one single, and the new materia went in the third slot. It had potential, but as the aide had told us, it was still empty for the time being. I was certain I could put it to good use later on, however.

"My thanks," I told him. "Now, the keycard…"

He took out a scanner as Cloud handed it to him. "Right. It should only take a moment… and there. All done. You'll be able to get upstairs now. Is the way down clear? Can I go?"

Cloud nodded. "Should be. Better hurry while it lasts."

"Alright, thank you," the aide said, standing up. "I'll go now. I don't ever wanna come back here. Oh, and if you need them, there are a few potions on the shelves over there for emergencies."

Aerith smiled. "We'll check them out. Be safe, okay?"

"I will," he said. "Good luck."

Then he hurried across the lab and disappeared into the lift, taking it downstairs while we searched for the potions. We found them only a minute later, a handful of vials stacked on a nearby shelf. After we had gathered them all up and made certain everyone had some, we moved on. The way to the Drum lay ahead of us.

"What do you know about this place?" Cloud asked me.

I padded forward a few steps. "It is not a large area, but the path is not a straightforward one. It is a labyrinth of rooms and corridors, and past it is an escalator leading upstairs. We may also encounter more of Hojo's escaped specimens as well."

He opened the door. "Understood. Let's go."

As we headed inside, I took the lead once more, scouting ahead as Cloud followed closely behind me and the others came after. We began in a short hallway that soon turned sharply to the left. At the end of it, we came to a smaller lab. Several zenenes and two varghids were here, and we sprang into action. The fight took us all around the room as the creatures struck forcefully at us, but we overcame them quickly enough with our skills, weapons, and magic.

After hurrying down another hallway, we soon found ourselves in another room. This one was more open, with a high ceiling, and to our right and ahead of us, the area was bordered not by walls but by a large lower section almost twenty feet below us. It was full of machinery and specimen pods, many of which were open.

There was another platform on the far side of the maintenance bay, and a computer console stood on it. But, as Hojo's aide had told us, the bridge had been retracted. Its metal sections had slid back into the side of the curved wall to our left. The electrical disturbance that had swept through the building must have disrupted the bridge controls, causing the entire structure to separate and withdraw.

"So how we gonna get across?" Barret scratched his head.

Tifa pointed. "There's a door on the other side, if we can get there. The way upstairs must be past it."

He grunted. "Helluva long jump, though."

"Any ideas?" Cloud asked.

"Leave it to me," I answered, moving toward the edge. "I can make it across and activate the controls."

Barret blinked. "How?"

"Watch and learn," I told him.

There were a number of small ledges along the left wall, enough to span the entire gap. A human would've had a difficult time attempting to reach them, but I managed it easily, leaping up to the first in a single bound. And then I jumped from one to another, following them along the wall until I reached the other platform. After landing, I went to the console and activated the controls. Not the easiest thing to do with my paws, nose, and tongue, but I managed.

The bridge sections immediately slid back out again, and once they had all locked into place, Cloud and the others hurried across. I heard Barret chuckling to himself as he and the rest reached the far side just a moment later and joined me on the platform.

"Well, ain't that somethin'," he said. "Makin' it look easy."

I glanced at him. "It was. For me."

Barret snorted. "Awright, ya furry little smartass. Guess havin' four legs _can_ be pretty useful sometimes."

"Quite," I agreed. "Now we'd best keep going."

We moved on, making our way through several twisting corridors and a handful of smaller labs before finally coming to another platform with a gap ahead of it. This time, however, the bridge was already fully extended. There was also a sign posted on the wall near the exit on the other side in large, bold letters:

ESCALATOR ACCESS – 69TH FLOOR

"Almost there, guys," Aerith said. "We can do this!"

We hurried toward the bridge, but just before we could reach it, we skidded to a stop as something huge and long rose up from the bowels of the maintenance bay and specimen storage area below it. A monster, but more machine than flesh. It had a long, segmented blue body made up of flattened metal plates fitted with sharp saw blades on the top and bottom, the color deepening from a teal blue to a darker blue by its tail. Two white, round eyes—one on each side of its flat head—stared coldly at us as it hovered in the air above us.

Tifa immediately raised her fists. "What's this?"

"Swordipede," I growled. "I'd heard there was a guardian set here to deal with intruders, but I wasn't certain it was real."

"Looks real enough to me!" Barret said as he opened fire.

Cloud drew his sword. "Let's take it out!"

The swordipede was too far away for us to attack at close range, so Aerith, Tifa, and I unleashed a barrage of fire, ice, and lightning magic while Cloud used his sword to hurl an arc of pale green energy into the creature's side and Barret shot at it with his gun-arm. The creature flew back, sparks flying from its sides as it recoiled from our assault. Then it dove in low and fast, sweeping at us with the saw blades mounted upon the lower half of its segmented body.

We scattered, dodging out of the way as best we could, but even so, it still managed to clip my shoulder. I ignored the pain and pressed on, retaliating with another shot of lightning as Cloud landed several slices with his sword while the swordipede was temporarily close enough for him to do so. Tifa added several hits of her own, diving kicks that left a number of sizable dents in the creature's hide.

It whipped its tail at us, then dove in again, trying to slice us apart with the blades fitted to its mouth like steel teeth. I jumped when it got near and tore into it with my claws, and as it began to thrash and spin, I clung to it and kept up the assault. Barret blew off part of its tail with a sustained burst of gunfire while Aerith unleashed a swirling tempest of magical power that made the swordipede shudder beneath my paws. Blasts of ice and lighting tore into its sides as Cloud and Tifa unleashed spells of their own from their materia.

The monster flew and thrashed wildly, rising away from the others once more, but I refused to be dislodged so easily. I kept clawing at the metal panels, ripping them open one after another. But then, the beast hovered in place, shaking as it charged up, and electricity swept across its body in a sudden rush, jolting me with current and throwing me off the swordipede's back to crash onto the floor.

"Red!" Aerith called.

I landed with a groan. "I'm alright. More or less…"

She hurried over to my side, but before we could do anything else, the swordipede unloaded all of the electricity it had built up. Lightning struck all over the area. Aerith grabbed me, then turned and thrust out her staff. Almost at once, something like a large semitransparent flower formed in midair, a magical barrier that shielded us and kept the blasts of lightning at bay as Cloud and the others took cover. The assault only lasted a few moments, but it felt much longer.

When it was over and Aerith's protective shield had faded, I slowly returned to my feet. "Thank you, Aerith."

"Don't mention it," she smiled. "You okay?"

"Merely a little singed. Nothing more," I assured her.

Aerith soothed the pain with one of her healing spells. "There. It'll be tender for a bit, but you should be good as new in no time, Red. So, are you ready to get back into the fight?"

"Need you ask?" I quipped.

She smirked. "Then let's squash this bug!"

We hurried to rejoin the others, who were battling the swordipede as it attacked with its saw blades again. Then it began spinning around in a tight circle, its blades cutting at Aerith and Tifa. I growled and cast another lightning spell, blowing apart one of its eyes. Cloud continued with a leaping slash, and Barret unloaded with a single massive blast of fire from his gun-arm. Together, we knocked the swordipede back long enough for Aerith and Tifa to regroup.

"Go for the head!" Cloud said. "Don't let up!"

Tifa nodded. "We're on it!"

While the swordipede attempted to hit us with a volley of powerful energy blasts, we avoided them and countered with our own attacks as we moved around the platform. We came at the monster from all sides, striking at its head with our spells and weapons at the same time just as we had against Specimen H0512.

The swordipede crumpled and trembled under the onslaught, and then its head simply exploded. We shielded ourselves as best we could while the thing's body crashed to the floor in a smoking, sparking heap of charred metal and pieces of it flew across the room. It was quite still for a moment in the wake of its destruction.

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "That's one bug stomped."

"Yeah, baby!" Barret grinned, pumping his fist.

"We do good work!" Aerith added.

Cloud shouldered his sword and headed to the bridge. "Gotta keep moving, guys. Clock's ticking. But… we _did_ kick its ass."

"Damn straight!" Barret agreed.

I followed Cloud. "Indeed. Try to keep up."

We hurried across the bridge. Through the door was another short hallway, and at the end was the escalator bay. Not wasting any time, we moved quickly up to the 69th floor, climbing the steps ourselves rather than wait for them to carry us there. We arrived in another room with a pair of glass doors. The trail of blood was here as well, as it had been in the Drum, and we followed it through the doors and into the central area of this floor. There were only a few bodies here, some half-buried under two broken and overturned desks.

We raced across the black marble floor, our footsteps oddly loud in the unnatural quiet of the place. To our left at the bottom of the area, I saw another pair of glass doors leading to the elevators. They were the same ones we had ridden earlier with the Turks. So it appeared getting out of here would not be too difficult. Of course, I had no idea what lay ahead of us. The nightmare was only beginning.

On the far side of the area, two large staircases rose up and around to the 70th floor, where President Shinra's office was located. The steps were covered in a deep purple carpet and wide enough that three of us could walk up them side by side if we wished. Blood went up along the righthand staircase, staining the purple fabric with large red splotches, and a young woman lay slumped on one side with her back against the rail, her chest cruelly slashed open. Cloud stopped for a moment at the bottom and looked at Aerith, worry on his face.

"How are we on time?" he asked.

She concentrated for a moment. "About forty minutes."

Cloud nodded, took a breath, and started up the stairs. "Let's make this quick, then. Jessie's counting on us."

* * *

President Shinra's office was eerily quiet as we climbed the last few stairs and went inside. Half the lights were off, leaving the room full of shadows. It was a large area with more of those columns, black marble just like the floor, but I barely noticed it. And for once, Buster's familiar weight on my back couldn't reassure me. We all came to a stop, unable to believe at first what we were seeing. I'd been expecting it ever since I realized the blood trail led here, but it was still a shock. For a moment, we all just stood there and tried to take it in.

President Shinra was dead.

His body was slumped over the front of his massive desk, and from his back rose a long, slightly curved blade that I recognized at once. As I stared at it, my eyes narrowed and my blood boiled. So… it _was_ him. Had to be. Not a doubt in my mind now.

"He's dead…" Barret gaped.

"I don't believe it…" Aerith murmured.

Barret went on. "The head of the Shinra Company… an' the sworn enemy of Avalanche… is dead…"

"How?" Aerith wondered. "And by who?"

Tifa's eyes were on the blade. "That sword… I've seen it before. It's his, I'm sure of it. He's alive…"

I nodded, my fist tightening. "Sephiroth…"

"He's really back?" she shivered.

"Gotta be," I said. "That's his sword, Tifa. Only he can use it."

Barret snorted. "Who cares? Shinra's history now!"

I was just about to reply when I suddenly felt a sharp pain flare up in the side of my head. I grabbed my temple, my eyes locked firmly on Sephiroth's katana, and gritted my teeth. Then I stared in disbelief, still hurting, as everything seemed to shift around me. The others vanished as I suddenly found myself watching a hellish, distorted vision of what had happened here only a short time ago.

" _Yes, Palmer, what is it?" President Shinra sighed._

_Palmer waddled over to stand in front of the desk. "Well, sir… I was just wondering when my division would get more funding. I've heard the mako reserves aren't as deep as you've made the public think. N-Not that I'd question your decisions, Mr. President."_

_The president leaned forward. "You had best not, Director. I already have one executive who requires a reminder about who is in charge here. I trust you will not make it two."_

" _Of course not, sir!" Palmer nodded. "You're quite right."_

" _And in regards to the space program, it is not a priority at this time. The promised land is our goal. Am I clear?"_

_Palmer sipped his tea. "Oh, yes! Very clear, sir."_

" _Then go," the president ordered. "As you can see, I—"_

_But before he could finish, a chill breeze suddenly swept through the office, and the lights flickered fitfully. President Shinra stood up, his gaze on the shadows, as Palmer looked around uneasily, his eyes going wide at the sound of screams suddenly rising up from downstairs. The president immediately picked up his gold handgun._

" _W-W-What's going on?" Palmer whimpered._

_Then a dark shape emerged from the stairs. It looked humanoid, but I couldn't tell any more than that. A moment later, it seemed to melt into the gloom and disappear. When Palmer turned back around to glance at the president, though, he let out a terrified gasp and dropped his cup and saucer. They fell from his gnarled hands and shattered onto the floor, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness._

_Standing behind President Shinra was Sephiroth._

" _What is it?" the president demanded._

_Palmer pointed. "S-S-Se… it's him! He's here! He's back!"_

_Then he ran off and hid behind one of the columns. President Shinra ignored him, whirling around with his gun in his hand. When he saw the tall, imposing figure of Sephiroth with his black cloak and silver hair, his eyes narrowed and his grip on the gun tightened._

" _You…" he said. "Sephiroth!"_

_Then Sephiroth faded into the shadows again, his cold, soft laughter echoing in the air. The president immediately spun back toward the front of his desk to find him waiting, standing there, sword in hand. Sephiroth pointed the Masamune at him, his pale green eyes like shards of ice. The president never even flinched, though._

" _What do you want?" he demanded, training his golden handgun on him. Not that it would do him any good._

_Sephiroth pointed at him. "The promised land is mine."_

_President Shinra scoffed. "I made you, Sephiroth. I own you. And I'll take what I wish. Including the promised land."_

_He fired—once, twice, three times—but Sephiroth was already gone, moving so fast I could barely see him. One moment, he was still standing confidently in front of the president, a small, sly smile on his lips. And in the next, he was behind him. President Shinra only had a split second to realize it before Sephiroth's katana plunged into his back and out through his chest. The president lurched, dropping his gun, and for a moment, he hung there suspended on the blade._

_Sephiroth leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "No longer. For I am here now. Mother calls, and the promised land awaits us. You cannot understand it. You cannot have it."_

" _Sephi… roth…" the president gurgled._

" _All that remains for you…" he continued, "is death."_

_With that, Sephiroth pushed President Shinra forward onto the desk, the Masamune still embedded in his back. And then, as I kept watching, he gazed up at me, that cold, familiar sneer still on his face, and I let out a gasp of my own. I wanted to throttle him, but at the same time, I felt a sliver of fear race through my heart._

" _Good to see you… Cloud," he taunted._

_I shuddered. "Sephiroth! Tell me… is it really you?"_

_He laughed softly. "Don't deny me. Embrace me. Follow the darkness that dwells always in your heart."_

" _What are you doing?" I asked. "What is this?"_

_Sephiroth moved away from the desk. "You should know. We've been here before. Many times. This is where it all begins. Where it has always begun. Only now, it will be different."_

_I frowned. "What are you talking about?"_

" _The tale can be changed, Cloud," he said. "As you well know. You've done it yourself. A slight shift, and entire threads begin to unravel. It has already begun. What was once meant for death may now yet live. And if so, can you be certain what may come of it?"_

" _No, but I'll be ready," I swore._

_Sephiroth moved again, slipping into the shadows so quickly I barely saw him. Then I heard him in my ear. "Do you think you alone can defy fate? You may come to regret saving her."_

_I whirled on him. "Leave Jessie the hell outta this!"_

" _You brought her into it," he taunted me._

" _Shut up!" I yelled, my eyes blazing as I reached for Buster. "And stay away from her! This is between you and me!"_

_He moved back toward the desk. "Then find me. If you can."_

" _Bet your ass I will!" I snarled._

_He pointed at the windows and the night sky, the badlands stretching on and on below it into the distance beyond the city. "Just as you should, Cloud. Just as you should. I'll be… out there. A touching reunion awaits us. And I wouldn't want you to miss it."_

With a start, I suddenly snapped back to the present in a rush. The pain was gone, and so was Sephiroth. As my surroundings slowly came back into focus, I realized the others were there again, looking at me in concern. But I didn't say anything at first. My eyes were still fixed upon Sephiroth's blade. And as I watched, it dissipated into a black mist and was gone. The air seemed to grow lighter, too.

"You okay, Cloud?" Tifa asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, Tif. I think so. But… tell me something. You guys didn't see anything, did you?"

Barret shook his head. "Nope. Not a thing, merc."

"What happened?" Aerith wondered.

"I'll explain later," I said. "No time now. We've gotta—"

Just then, I heard a muffled whimper nearby. It sounded like it was coming from behind one of the columns. I motioned to Barret, and he followed me toward the noise. Just as I'd thought, Palmer was still here, and he came running out from his hiding place a moment later. Barret and I were waiting for him, though. We caught him, each of us holding an arm, and stared hard at him.

"D-D-D-Don't kill me!" he blubbered. "Please!"

I tugged on his wrist. "What happened?

Palmer swallowed. "It… it was Sephiroth. He was here!"

"You're sure?" I said. I knew what I'd seen, but I needed to confirm it, to know it hadn't been a hallucination. "You got a good look at him? You actually saw Sephiroth?"

He nodded. "With my own eyes! I swear, I did! I wouldn't lie! Well, not about this. And I heard his voice, too. So cold… like he wasn't even human! I'm telling you, it was him!"

Barret yanked his other arm. "What'd he say?"

"Y-You're Avalanche, aren't you?" Palmer stammered, sweating. "I, uh… I guess you're angry about the whole plate dropping, um… thing. But it wasn't my idea! I had nothing to do with it!"

"Jus' talk, asshole!" he growled.

Palmer swallowed. "Sephiroth insisted that the promised land was his and that we couldn't have it. And then he killed President Shinra! I watched the whole thing! I was so scared!"

Tifa glanced at me. "So the promised land is real?"

"Seems that way," I said.

"Don't tell me Sephiroth's trying to save it," she grimaced. "You and I know better than anyone else what he's like."

Barret frowned. "Guess he ain't on our side, then."

"Not a chance!" I answered. "I know him. I know what he's after. At least, I did. But now, I'm not so sure…"

"What do you mean?" Tifa wondered.

I didn't understand it myself. But what Sephiroth had said to me in that vision bothered me. No matter how all this had unfolded before, it was different now. And Sephiroth seemed to want it that way. But why? What was really going on here? And what did Jessie have to do with it? I wanted to believe that Sephiroth had only been trying to get to me by bringing her up, but I couldn't. She was somehow linked to whatever it was he was trying to do. And if what he had told me was right… then I had made it possible. So I _had_ to stop him.

I sighed. "Long story. Like I said, I'll tell you all about it later. Right now we need to get the hell outta here."

"Seconded," Red agreed.

Just then, though, a spotlight swept across the windows, and we all heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter coming from outside. As we turned to look, Palmer wriggled himself free of our grip and ran for the door to the roof. A Shinra chopper had just landed on the rooftop, the whirring of its rotors shattering the quiet that had hung so heavily over the president's office just a moment ago.

Barret swore when he saw who stepped out of the chopper. "Rufus! Shit! Forgot all 'bout his sorry ass."

"Who?" Tifa asked.

"Rufus Shinra," he answered. "Goddamn pretty boy's the old man's son an' the vice president. Heir to the throne himself. I heard he'd been workin' somewhere else for a long time."

She nodded. "I see. I wonder what he's like…"

"Supposedly, no one's ever see him bleed or cry," Aerith said. "But I don't know if that's really true."

"I only know his name," Red added.

I grimaced. "Better find out what he wants, then."

Although I hated that this could cost us some time, I knew we had to find out more about Rufus and whether he would be a threat or not and that we might not get another chance later. So, with Barret and the others following me, I hurried over to the door leading to the roof and went outside to meet the new leader of Shinra.


	20. NINETEEN

## NINETEEN

Rufus Shinra was standing on the balcony, his chopper sitting over on the helipad as he listened to Palmer, when we rushed outside. They didn't hear us at first, so I took a moment to get a good look at Shinra's new president and didn't draw Buster just yet. Better to avoid a fight if possible—Jessie's time was very damn short and getting shorter by the second—but I was ready for it if necessary.

I was a little surprised at how young Rufus was. He didn't look too much older than me, maybe just a few years. In his late twenties, by my guess. He was tall and slim, wearing a spotless white business suit with a long, matching overcoat that hung down to his ankles. It had a lot of belts, buckles, and pockets along with a high gray collar. He also wore a pair of black leather fingerless gloves and matching boots. His hair was short and reddish-blond with long, swept bangs, and his eyes were pale blue without a shred of warmth in them.

"And that's what happened, I'm telling you!" Palmer sputtered. "He was really here, sir. He killed your father!"

Rufus chuckled. "Then I owe him my thanks."

Palmer blinked. "W-What?"

"I came here to put him out of everyone's misery," Rufus explained, sliding a hand casually through his hair. "But it seems Sephiroth saved me the trouble. His timing is excellent."

"So what are we going to do?" Palmer wondered.

Rufus stared coldly at him. _"You_ will get your blubbering ass out of my sight and onto that chopper. Now."

"Y-Yes, sir!" Palmer jumped. "I'll be going!"

He ran off, scurrying toward the helipad and boarding the chopper faster than I'd have thought possible. Rude was in the pilot's seat, and I saw Tseng sitting next to him. Reno was nowhere to be seen. Probably still licking his wounds after the ass-kicking we'd given him back in the pillar. As Palmer climbed aboard, a vicious-looking hound jumped out and loped over to stand next to Rufus. He lightly petted the beast, then turned as he finally realized we were there.

"I don't know you," he stated, gazing at me. "But from your eyes, I'd say you're a SOLDIER, aren't you? Which, of course, means that I own you. Do you, by chance, have a name?"

I glared at him. "Cloud Strife. And it's ex-SOLDIER. I quit."

He nodded. "As you wish. And your friends?"

"Avalanche!" Barret roared.

Tifa pumped her fist. "Bartender!"

Aerith twirled her staff. "Local florist!"

"Lab rat dog!" Red growled.

"What a crew," Rufus sighed. "Very well, then. As you may or may not know, I am Rufus, the new president of Shinra."

"Only 'cause Sephiroth killed your old man!" Barret scoffed.

Rufus smirked. "Yes. Rather convenient, isn't it?"

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"I suppose I can tell you," he said, pacing back and forth. "Think of it as my appointment speech, if you wish."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Just get on with it."

Rufus shrugged. "Fair enough. My father was all about money. He used it to keep the people in line. Worked well enough, I suppose. You work at Shinra and get paid. If there's an attack or a war, Shinra's forces will protect you. Looks perfect on the outside."

"But you're different, right?" I scoffed.

He didn't flinch. "Correct. It takes too much to do it like my father. I prefer a different approach, you see. Fear. I can control the world with it. Why bother spending money on people when a little terror will keep them under my boot just as effectively?"

Tifa grimaced. "You sound just like your father…"

While Rufus narrowed his eyes, I turned to Barret. "Go! Get Aerith outta here. I'll buy you guys some time."

"Say what?" he asked.

"This is the real thing, Barret," I answered. "You thought you were fighting for the planet before, but that was just a warm up. Now go! I'll explain everything later, I promise."

"I could stay here, back you up," he offered.

I shook my head. "No. I'm asking you, Barret… please. Get Aerith away from this place and back to Jessie before it's too late. I need you to protect them both for me. Understand?"

He nodded. "Awright. Have it your way. But your skinny ass better be right behind us, SOLDIER boy."

"I'll catch up," I promised. "Don't worry about me."

"Who's worried?" he snorted.

As he led Aerith and the others back inside, I smirked and watched them go for a moment. Then I turned back to Rufus, staring him down as he tried to do the same with me. Neither us moved. As dangerous as President Shinra had been, I knew now that Rufus was even worse. We had two major threats to deal with between him and Sephiroth. But if I could take Rufus down tonight, that would cripple Shinra, at least for a while, and give us some room to breathe.

"Why fight me?" he asked.

I pointed at him. "You're after the promised land."

"Among other things," he admitted. "And as for Sephiroth… he's an Ancient. Did you know that?"

"All too well," I answered, drawing Buster.

Rufus went on. "Then you know what you're in for."

I did, alright. "Yeah. But do you? I'm not letting either Sephiroth or Shinra touch Aerith or the promised land!"

"Hmm…" he said, reaching casually into his coat and pulling out a sawn-off shotgun. "Then I suppose this means an alliance is out of the question. How very… disappointing."

"Get used to it," I retorted.

Rufus motioned to the chopper, and it lifted off, the breeze ruffling our clothes. I kept my eyes on him as I hefted Buster and he loaded his gun with a slight sneer on his face and his hound growled at me. It was like the bloodhounds my friends and I had fought in Reactor 5 and the 7-6 Annex, only its fur was a deep purplish-black and its eyes glowed a bright, wicked red. The dog was a bony, ugly thing with a spiked metal collar and a long tentacle rising from its back.

"Time to dance," Rufus taunted, raising his gun. "Just the two of us. Or maybe three. This is Darkstar."

I beckoned to him. "Bring it, asshole."

* * *

We sped back through the president's office—well, I guess that'd be former president with Rufus takin' over—an' hurried downstairs to the 69th floor. Off to our right an' ahead of us were the main elevators, and I was jus' startin' to lead the others toward 'em when Aerith stopped for a moment an' looked back over her shoulder.

"I can't help wondering…" she murmured. "Do you think Cloud'll be okay all by himself like that?"

I nodded. "He's fine. You seen him in action."

"I know, but I'm still worried about him," she sighed.

"Gotta believe he'll make it out," I told her. "SOLDIER boy's tough as they come. You jus' remember that."

Aerith sighed. "I hope so."

Tifa took her shoulder. "Go on and get to the elevator. I'll stay here and help Cloud. We won't be long."

"Alright," Aerith smiled. "Good luck!"

Then, as Tifa raced back up the stairs, we got movin' again. Wasn't very far to the elevators, an' the area here was pretty much jus' a lobby. All big an' open, with several thick columns here an' there, shiny black marble like the floor. Our footsteps echoed as we ran. We was halfway there when suddenly the floor in the middle of the room started slidin' apart, dividin' neatly in half as somethin' huge an' metal slowly rose up on a hidden lift to meet us an' alarms went off.

The thing was a machine, like a goddamn tank. A round base with four large wheels, a thick, cylindrical steel body fulla pipes an' steel, an' a flat head with four guns mounted on the front. It had two arms, each one a weapon. The right was a bigass cannon, an' the left was a buncha gatling guns clustered together. As the lift met the floor, the mech spun 'round an' started rollin' right toward us.

"The hell's that?" I gaped.

"Our next target," Red answered. "The Arsenal."

I raised my gun-arm an' took aim at that rollin' scrap heap. "Seems you know a lot for a lab rat dog, Red."

He unsheathed his claws as the Arsenal got closer. "I listen, Barret. I _have_ been in this place for over a year, after all. People talk. And I can hear extremely well. Including things not meant to be overheard. Such as security briefings and status reports."

"You a cunnin' little furball, ain'tcha?" I chuckled.

"More than you know," Red said. "Now, if you don't mind, I believe we have a machine to dismantle."

I snorted. "Then let's bust it already!"

While he rushed in an' started tearin' at the mech's hide an' all'a the cables an' stuff holdin' it all together, I opened up with my gun-arm an' Aerith started hurlin' fire spells one after another. Arsenal was a tough son of a bitch, though, plowin' right through it all. It came to a stop jus' a short distance away an' launched three drones. They circled 'round it an' surrounded the Arsenal with an energy barrier. I took another shot at the mech, but the bullets bounced right off.

"Shit!" I swore. "Gotta take them drones out first!"

Red backed up. "Agreed. Mind its main gun, however. It's charging. But you may be able to keep it from firing if you can hit it enough. And I'll handle the drones in the meantime."

Aerith twirled her staff. "We're on it, Red!"

While she an' I ducked behind a column for cover, Red loped off to circle 'round from the other direction. The drones was channelin' lines of energy into the Arsenal as they circled it, powerin' the barrier as the main gun charged up. I knew if it fired, we'd be in for a worlda hurt. So I let loose with a volley'a gunfire while Aerith sent more bursts'a magic at it. Although we didn't do any damage, the assault still did its job, an' a moment later, the cannon shut down.

Red jumped an' did a spinnin' strike at one'a them drones jus' a few seconds later, rippin' it to pieces in a single swipe, then landed an' sped off again before the Arsenal could retaliate. One down, two to go. More bullets chased me an' Aerith back behind the column again, but we was awright, jus' got nicked a little. She got us patched up with some healin' magic while I answered the mech with a volley'a my own. I blasted at it with a focused shot to keep it distracted an' give Red time to race back in there an' take down another drone.

He did jus' that, shockin' it to pieces with a blast'a lightin' from his materia before runnin' off again. The mech fired again from the rotary guns on its left arm, but Aerith an' I waited behind cover as the bullets chewed into the floor. Soon as it was over, we spun back into the open an' got back into it, pummelin' the Arsenal with gunfire an' spells while Red fragged the last drone with another spinnin' strike. Soon as he did, the barrier flickered and vanished.

"Nice one, Red!" I grinned. "It's poundin' time!"

He rejoined us by the column. "Indeed. Go for the wheels. We may be able to reduce the Arsenal's mobility and make it more vulnerable if we can destroy one or two of them."

"Don't forget about that arm cannon," Aerith reminded us. "Looks like it's charging again. If we can stop it, that might make getting to the wheels and taking them out a bit easier."

I nodded. "I got this. You guys go for the wheels."

"Right!" she agreed. "Come on, Red! I've also got a few other tricks up my sleeve to tip the balance a little."

"Such as?" he asked.

Aerith started spinnin' her staff again, an' a circle of purple energy about twenty feet across surrounded her on the floor, and she had Red join her while I pumped the Arsenal's right arm cannon fulla bullets. It shuddered but didn't back down jus' yet, so I kept the pressure up with a big shot once the heat gauge on my gun-arm went into the red again. The fireball slammed square into the mech, shakin' the whole thing an' makin' sparks an' smoke fly everywhere.

"Arcane ward," Aerith answered, focusin' on her materia. "It'll help us chain more spells together and boost our magic. Also moves when I do, so stay close to me as much as you can."

Jus' as they got started, though, the Arsenal suddenly let loose with a field of electricity that swept over the floor in all directions. She, Red, an' I scattered to avoid it, runnin' 'till we was safely outta range. Then I fired back at it again while the others pounded it with fire an' lightnin' in a quick barrage that drove it back.

Then, when one of the wheels went down, the mech started blastin' at us with purple laser beams, forcin' us back behind the columns once again. It followed up with shots from the turrets on its head. Soon as it let up to reload, we got back to work. I joined the others in that purple circle an' added a few of my own fire spells, too—while mine probably didn't pack as much of a punch as theirs, it still did the job. Another of them wheels blew apart a few seconds later, an' the Arsenal lurched off balance, its guns firin' past us toward the ceilin'.

"We got it where we want it!" I said. "Now let's smash that son of a bitch an' get the hell outta here!"

Aerith hurled more fireballs. "Consider it smashed!"

"Don't let up!" Red added.

We didn't, not for a second. While I blew its arm cannon off with a concentrated bursta gunfire at the joint, Aerith an' Red focused on the main body, hittin' it with spell after spell fast as could be, rippin' off the panels and tearin' into the power cables with their magic. The Arsenal tried to fire back with its remainin' guns, but I blasted 'em apart with a haila bullets. Then the whole damn thing started rumblin', and we took cover jus' as it finally exploded in a deafenin' roar that filled our ears as bits an' pieces of it flew all over the room.

I pumped my fist when it was over. "Ha! Nailed him! That the best you got, you Shinra bastards?"

"We really kicked its ass, didn't we?" Aerith grinned.

I scratched my head. "Sure as hell did, but ain't you a little dainty to be talkin' rough like that, Aerith?"

She smirked. "Not as dainty as you think."

"No kiddin'," I chuckled. "You jus' fulla surprises, ain'tcha?"

"You don't know the half of it!" she giggled, lifting her hand up for a high five. "Come on, Barret. Up top!"

I gave it to her an' smiled. "You awright, girl."

She beamed. "Thanks! Same to you."

"An' what 'bout you, Red?" I turned to look at him an' held out my hand for another five. "Put it there, man."

Without missin' a beat, Red slapped the tip of his flamin' tail across my palm. Damn thing stung like hell, an' I jerked my hand away while Aerith tried her best to keep from laughin'. Didn't do that good a job of it, though. An' in the meantime, Red jus' padded away lookin' all smug an' satisfied with his little practical joke.

"Shit!" I swore, shakin' my hand. "Coulda warned me."

Aerith patted my arm. "Oh, I saw _that_ coming. Anyway, we'd better get moving, Barret. Time's wasting."

Leavin' the charred, smolderin' wreck of the Arsenal behind us, we hurried to glass doors leadin' to the elevators an' went in. It was a good bet we'd tripped security when we'd fought that mech, so I knew Shinra probably had troops swarmin' round the buildin' by now. Nothin' for it but to blast our way out once we got downstairs, though. So as we went into the elevator an' it started to descend, I quickly reloaded my ammo an' got ready for another tough fight.

* * *

Darkstar snarled and lunged at me, sharp teeth bared, while Rufus hung back and fired casually with his shotgun. I barely got Buster up in time to block before the hound bowled me over, pouncing and biting. I managed to keep it at bay, though its breath was hot and horrible. With a strong push, I shoved Darkstar off me and got back to my feet. Rufus kept me moving with more gunfire, though, laughing all the while. He stayed mostly stationary while his hound circled him protectively. So I knew I'd have to deal with him first.

After casting some kind of barrier spell on Rufus, Darkstar rushed at me again. But this time, I was ready. I swept Buster out and across as the hound leaped at me, and the blow knocked him neatly aside. Rufus kept me from pursuing him with a few quick shots, though, so the dog managed to get away. But I didn't let up. Evading Rufus's attacks as best I could, I cut at Darkstar again and again.

The dog yelped but didn't go down. Instead, it bit and barked while lashing at me with the tentacle on its back. I caught a bit of it across my arm, but I ignored the stinging pain and pressed the assault, knowing I wouldn't be able to get to Rufus until his pet had been dealt with. That wasn't gonna be easy, though. Darkstar was much tougher and sturdier than the other breeds I'd fought before.

Once again, Rufus' gunfire drove me back and kept me off balance, allowing Darkstar to resume its assault. It charged at me before I could recover, but just as it leaped into the air to tear my throat out, someone else suddenly sprang in between us, pounding Darkstar with a flurry of punches and kicks before knocking him back with a brutal uppercut to the jaw. He flew across the balcony with a yelp.

"Tifa!" I called, my eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"

She smirked. "Saving your ass. You've gotta do a lot better than this if you're gonna play the hero, Cloud."

I let her help me to my feet. "Guess I can't argue."

"Not a chance," she agreed. "Now let's get to work. While I keep the hound off your back, you go after Rufus."

I nodded. "Right. Let's do it."

We moved fast, Tifa launching herself at Darkstar while I closed in on Rufus and shocked him with a blast of lightning magic while he was busy reloading his gun. He staggered but stayed on his feet, and when I swung Buster in a forward slash, he deflected the blow, sparks erupting from the side of the barrel as Buster clanged against it. Then he shoved me back and took out a few coins.

"Think you got my number?" I taunted.

He sneered. "Not at all, Cloud. You're making me sweat. I like that. Good thing I came prepared."

With that, he tossed two coins up in the air, then fired his shotgun again. The bullets deflected off the coins, creating a pair of searing red laser beams that shot right at me. I managed to avoid one of them, but the other blazed across my right shoulder before I could get away from it. I tightened my grip on Buster's hilt.

"That's a new trick," I said.

Rufus chuckled. "Like it? Of course you do."

I readied myself, an idea coming to mind as I glared at him. "Got a few of my own, too. You'll love 'em."

With that, I spun to the left and hit him with a quick chain of three slashes, leaving streaks of purple energy in my wake with each hit. And as he staggered back and tried to block, I jumped up and struck at him with a spinning overhead chop. The barrier Darkstar had cast softened the blows a little and kept him from bleeding, but Rufus still crumpled under the sheer force behind them.

In the meantime, Tifa was still dealing with Darkstar, fists and feet flying, but she hadn't been able to put him down yet. He bit at her over and over again, but she was too fast, dodging out of the way and hitting him with blows of her own. I knew we couldn't afford to drag this out, though, so I turned back to fight Rufus. But he was ready for me, firing a blazing barrage of gunshots. I got Buster up just in time to block, and then I ran in to continue the assault.

* * *

Darkstar lunged at me, its sharp teeth bared, but I sidestepped and hit him with a backward thrust kick as he went by, smashing his ribs. It was a good hit, but this wasn't any ordinary dog. He grunted, growled, and charged at me again in a flash, swiping with his claws. I took a few slashes across my forearm as I blocked, but that kept him from getting to more vital areas, so I gritted my teeth and countered with a focused punch that drove him back again. Then he turned and started rushing at Cloud to strike at him from behind.

"Oh, no you don't!" I snapped, my eyes narrowing.

I ran after Darkstar, my lungs burning from exertion, and jumped. With a loud yell, I came down, grabbed him, and yanked him away. We rolled across the balcony toward the railing, and it was all I could do to keep the hound from tearing my stomach open and ripping my throat out. His teeth snapped at me, claws slashed, and that tentacle whipped toward my head, stinging my cheek.

Shoving him off me, I sprang to my feet and raced after him again, hoping to catch the dog off guard. I did, pummeling him with punches before grabbing him inboth hands and jumping into the air. And then, at the highest point, I hurled him back onto balcony. Darkstar crashed hard into the concrete, cracking it under him. When I landed, I rushed to finish him, but another shot from Rufus drove me back long enough for the dog to get up again and attack.

While Cloud kept on fighting Rufus and barely dodged another of those coin laser blasts, I hit Darkstar with a frigid burst of ice when he charged at me, the cold slowing him down long enough for me to rush in and pound him again and again, stringing together a blinding chain of quick punches before topping it off with a roundhouse kick that sent the hound flying backward into the wall.

Darkstar yelped, its back smashing hard into the concrete as jagged chunks of it tumbled to the ground along with the dog. Clouds of dust rose up around him as he slowly got back up, less steady than before. I knew I was wearing him down. Just had to figure out a way to take him out so I could help Cloud finish off Rufus.

He ran in faster this time, driving me backward across the balcony and toward the railing again as I fended off his attacks. I tried to move away, but Darkstar cut me off, his teeth sinking into my arm. Pain was everywhere, and I couldn't help gasping as I shook him off. But as I did that, I bumped into the railing right behind me. I was out of room, and the hound was closing in on me again.

Then I had an idea. Shoving the hound away with a forward thrust kick to his chest, I showered him with punches, forcing him to retreat, and then I fell back myself, fists up as I readied myself for what I knew was coming. Just as I'd expected, Darkstar charged at me again, baring his teeth and snapping his tentacle, but instead of rushing to meet him, I stood my ground and waited, bracing myself.

As soon as the hound got close enough and jumped, I grabbed him with both hands and threw him right over me. Darkstar sailed past the railing with a startled bark and plummeted out of sight, seventy stories straight down. After taking a brief moment to catch my breath, I drank a healing potion. My arm smarted like hell, but it wasn't serious. And I knew this fight wasn't over yet.

Clenching my fists, I rushed toward Rufus.

* * *

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tifa throw Darkstar up and over the railing. So did Rufus, a flash of rage crossing his face. He shifted his aim to fire at her, but I was already there, quickly knocking his shotgun aside and making his shot go wild and hit the wall instead of her. Rufus pushed himself back from me and reloaded.

"Just the two of us now," I smirked. "Or maybe three."

Tifa fell in beside me. "The odds don't look so good for you, Rufus. Your dog's history. And you're next."

He sneered. "Am I? We'll see about that."

"So it's on for real now?" I asked.

"Yeah," Rufus curled his finger around the trigger. "You should feel honored. Let's make it a night to remember."

He fired his shotgun, but at the ground just behind him, using the force of the blast to propel himself past us and across the balcony. Tifa and I whirled to face him, only to have to dodge another set of his coin lasers. She and I dove in opposite directions as the beams shot through the space we'd just been in, and while we recovered quickly, Rufus was fast as well, using his gun to move himself away as soon as we closed in on him again. He was tricky and evasive, but I knew we could beat him somehow. And then I thought of a plan.

Motioning to Tifa, I moved in from the left, and she nodded, doing the same from the right so we'd be coming at Rufus from two different directions. He fired at me with a barrage of bullets, but I got Buster up just in time to block the attack. And while he was busy doing that, Tifa struck, slamming him with a quick string of punches followed by a pair of diving kicks. I piled right on with chain of cuts and slashes mixed in with another blast of lightning. Rufus' barrier flickered and died under the assault, and he fell to one knee.

I pointed Buster at him. "I could end this, here and now."

"Not quite," he snickered.

"What do you mean?" Tifa demanded. "You lost!"

Just then, the chopper came back around, kicking up a breeze that drove Tifa and I back, and hovered in place just long enough for Rufus to grab the rope ladder hanging from the side. And as the chopper rose up again, he put his gun back into his coat and waved, a sardonic smile on his face as he slowly moved away.

"Did I?" he said. "No, not really. That's all for now, though. Tonight marks a new beginning for Shinra!"

Then he rose out of sight as the chopper flew away. Tifa and I both watched it go, knowing how much harder this was gonna make things. There wasn't anything we could do about it, though. At least for now. I was sure we'd run into him again, but for now anyway, Shinra'd gotten a reprieve. We'd have to settle with them later.

I sighed. "Damn. Couldn't finish him, Tif. Looks like this is gonna get more complicated than we thought."

"I know," she agreed. "But for now, we've gotta move."

I nodded. "Let's go. The others need us. They should be downstairs by now. Time to get the hell outta here."

We ran back inside, through the president's office, and raced down the stairs to the 69th floor. The blackened ruin of some huge mech was still smoldering in there, pieces of it strewn all across the floor. Looked like Barret and the others had been busy.

Tifa and I rushed across the wrecked area and slipped through the glass doors leading to the elevators. Neither of us said anything as we stepped inside and rode downstairs, but we both knew Jessie's time was winding down, and fast. We were determined to save her, though, and nothing was gonna keep us from doing that.


	21. TWENTY

## TWENTY

We was halfway down when that giant flyin' metal mosquito from the plate showed up again. Valkyrie. It flew in fast, firin' right at us. We ducked down, an' I covered Aerith best I could as the glass walls of the elevator suddenly shattered to pieces an' flew everywhere. She shrieked an' put her arms over her head while Red hunkered down an' growled, his eye on that flyin' scrap heap circlin' 'round us.

I whipped up my gun-arm. "Knew you'd show your ass again! Not lettin' you get away this time, though!"

"You've encountered it before?" Red asked.

"While climbin' up the plate with Cloud," I nodded. "Nearly had it, too. Ran away before we could finish it off, but it's gonna be a different story now. I guarantee it!"

Aerith stood up, staff ready. "Yeah! Let's trash it!"

While I fired at the Valkyrie with my gun-arm, she an' Red flung a buncha spells at it, fire an' lightnin' slammin' into it one after the other. It tried to dodge, but it was still banged up from last time—lotsa scorch marks across its hull. An' we left even more as we kept poundin' on it. I kept on firin' an' knew it wouldn't be long before I'd be ready to unload another big shot—heat gauge was risin' nice an' steady. Jus' had to keep that flyin' mech busy for another minute or two.

Then it fired two rockets at us, an' I flattened Aerith under me jus' as they passed over us. Red shot back with more lightnin' magic before it could get outta the way, an' it shuddered, sparks flyin' from it. Aerith an' I got back up an' got back to work. Didn't have much room to move around here in the lift, but we still managed to keep from gettin' hit too much as we fought that mech.

It was a skittish little son of a bitch, constantly dartin' all 'round us with its guns blazin', but I knew we was wearin' it down. As we kept on fightin', Aerith used that magic flower shield of hers to deflect some of the Valkyrie's attacks, includin' another missile salvo. The barrier came down after absorbin' all'a that punishment, but it did its job an' kept us all in one piece. I blasted the mech again, drivin' it back, an' jus' as I did that, the heat gauge finally turned red.

"Guys!" I called. "Get down!"

Aerith crouched down beside me. "Get him, Barret!"

While Red got low as well, hurlin' another lightnin' spell as he did, I took aim at the Valkyrie, leadin' my target an' mindin' the way the lift was still descendin'. Almost there… had to wait for the mech to get into range again. Then, jus' a couple seconds later, I had it dead in my sights as the heat from my gun-arm swirled together to form a blazin' orange fireball right in fronta the barrel.

"Ain't no escape this time, asshole," I swore.

With a grin, I let fly, releasin' the fireball, an' it flew straight for the Valkyrie fast as could be, as if I'd fired it from a slingshot, an' slammed square into the middle of its metal body. The mech exploded, flame an' thunder fillin' the air as charred pieces of it flew in all directions an' fell outta the sky, still burnin' as they went.

Aerith cheered. "Bullseye!"

"Got it for ya, Jessie…" I murmured, slowly lowerin' my arm as the others stood back up. "Nailed the bastard."

"She'll be so glad you did," Aerith assured me.

I nodded. "That she will. An' I'm gonna get you back to her. Better get ready, girl. I got a feelin' we ain't done fightin' yet. Shinra's probably got us a welcomin' party downstairs."

"Indeed," Red agreed. "And we're nearly there."

He was right. We was at about the tenth floor now, by my guess, so we hurried up and did what we could, Aerith an' Red replenishin' their energy with a few ethers while I reloaded my ammo. Wasn't much else we could do, so we waited an' rode the lift the resta the way downstairs an' kept well away from the broken glass walls. The breeze was stronger than I'd expected, an' it didn't do my stomach no favors, but we all held onto the control panel an' each other an' didn't fall.

When we finally made it to the lobby, it was deserted. That got me good an' wary, an' I led the others across the room. But when we got to the middle, jus' in fronta the reception booth an' that big glass sign the mayor had told us 'bout, we froze as we suddenly heard boots trompin' everywhere. A whole squad of Shinra soldiers came pourin' outta every doorway, includin' the way out an' down the stairs.

Musta been twenty of 'em at least, all lined up in a semicircle facin' us, their guns aimed an' ready. I swore but didn't raise my gun-arm yet. Might still be a way outta this, I jus' had to buy time for Cloud an' Tifa to show up an' crash the party. So I moved to stand in fronta Aerith an' Red, glarin' at the soldiers the whole time.

"Surrounded, huh?" I snorted. "Hell, I've seen worse. If I was all by myself, this would be nothin', but I got a reputation to protect. A leader always looks after his own. So bring it, punks!"

Aerith touched my arm. "All of you can still get out, Barret. I'm the one they really want. I can make a deal, like I did with Marlene. If they let you go and let me save Jessie, I'll stay."

I shook my head. "Ain't happenin'. You got caught up in all this for savin' my Marlene, an' I ain't never gonna forget what you done for me, Aerith. So now it's my turn to save you."

"Thank you!" she smiled.

"If you two are finished," Red said, "might I suggest figuring a way out of this? We're still surrounded."

Aerith nodded. "We _are_ in pretty a tight spot…"

I grunted. "Huh? Oh, right. You pretty cold, ain'tcha, Red? Jus' like someone else 'round here I know…"

"What was that?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Nothin'. Got any bright ideas?"

But before he could answer, the ol' warmonger himself strode right in through the front door, two more soldiers flankin' him. Officers, if I read their rank insignias right. General Heidegger looked at us as if we was insects, his arms folded behind his back, an' I felt my fist tighten as I thought of what he'd done to Jessie an' Sector 7.

"We have them surrounded, sir," one of the officers said.

Heidegger eyed us coldly. "Hmph. Yes, I can see that. It was only a matter of time. And he were are. Such a ragged group of misfits. This is Avalanche? I can't say I'm impressed."

I narrowed my eyes. "Like I give a shit."

"And where are the rest of you?" he asked. "There are two more of you miserable sewer rats, aren't there?"

"Up your ass!" I said, flippin' him the bird.

Heidegger snorted. "Charming. Not the last words I'd have chosen, though. You slum dwellers are all alike."

Aerith hefted her staff. "Happy to disappoint you."

"Secure the Ancient," he ordered the soldiers. "As for the idiot and the dog, feel free to kill them."

Now I did bring up my gun-arm. I figured if I could put up a good fight it might give Aerith an' Red a chance to get out. They'd surely find a way back down to the slums from there. Knew I wouldn't last against this many soldiers for long by myself, but if it meant my friends would be able to escape, then I didn't mind.

"Aerith," I said softly. "Best get yourself ready to run. You an' Red. I can buy you time, 'cause a ruckus to give ya some cover an' get on outta here in all the confusion. Jus'… when you see Marlene… tell her I love her. Think you can you do that for me?"

She didn't budge. "You can do it yourself, Barret."

I sighed. "It's your only chance—"

"We're not leaving," she insisted. "Get used to it."

A little smile crept across my face as Aerith stood by me. "I guess I don't got much of a choice, do I?"

Red flattened his ears. "None whatsoever."

"Then let's bust on outta here!" I said, readyin' myself for a fight as the others did the same.

Wasn't gonna be easy, but I knew if we could get past Heidegger an' those two officers, we might jus' have a chance of escapin'. It was a slim one, to be sure, but it was all we had. Them front doors was close, only about thirty feet away. Glass with the Shinra logo on each one. Easy to break through if need be. I heard the clickin' of triggers as the soldiers took aim at me an' Red, an' I knew it was time.

But then another sound suddenly ripped across the room, one that I recognized right away. The unmistakable roarin' of the Hardy, Cloud an' Jessie's bike. It was comin' from the topa the stairs to my right, an' I looked up there to see him sittin' on it, his glowin' blue eyes like knives as he took in what was goin' on. He was holdin' that bigass sword of his in his right hand an' drivin' with his left. Then he saw Mr. Warmonger, an' I didn't think I'd ever seen him so pissed before.

Cloud's eyes narrowed. _"Heidegger!"_

* * *

My blood was like magma as I stared at Heidegger. Jessie's father. I sat on the Hardy, the motorcycle that she and I had built together over the past two months, and couldn't quite keep the rage from showing on my face. All I could see in that moment was Jessie, terribly wounded in the pillar when she'd been caught in that grenade blast that had almost led to her being crushed by a Shinra chopper.

I saw how she had tried desperately to shut down the console again after her father had reactivated it. The terrible trap he had set that had flooded her body with current before exploding right in front of her. It had hurled her clear across the platform. The flaming plate fragment as it had crashed through where she was, tearing the platform section free and taking her with it into the heart of the inferno. How battered, hurt, and bleeding she was when we'd finally found her in the ruins later on. And I saw how she was dying, even now.

Heidegger scratched his chin. "Ah, yes. The mercenary. Those eyes, though… you're a SOLDIER, correct?"

"Was," I corrected him.

"Well, you wouldn't be the first one to defect," he said. "But enough about that. You'll die with your friends."

I flashed him an icy smile. "Try it, asshole."

Heidegger returned it with one of his own. "Oh, I intend to. But if I may, you seem particularly put out with me. Might I ask why? I'd enjoy knowing how to make you suffer more."

"Aside from murdering fifty thousand people?" I glared.

He shrugged. "Casualties of war."

"Like your daughter!?" I snapped, my eyes blazing.

"Ah… now I see," Heidegger stroked his beard. "It seems you know her, then. Rather closely, by my guess. Hmph. It seems Jessica's taste in men certainly leaves something to be desired."

My grip on Buster tightened. "Blow it out your ass."

"Just as charming as your friends," he muttered. "So tell me, former SOLDIER… what's your name?"

"Cloud. Cloud Strife," I answered.

Heidegger sneered. "I see. Well, no matter. You'll join my daughter soon enough. I could even have your body buried in the ruin she once called home. Now it's her grave, of course."

Fury filled me at his words, at the thought of what he'd done and of how callously indifferent he was about it, that his blood ties with Jessie and even her own life meant less to him than his own power. I couldn't understand it, and it made me hate him even more. As I thought about Jessie, I knew I couldn't waste any more time talking. We had to move, and fast. Hers was almost gone now.

I hit the gas, and the Hardy shot down the stairs. My eyes fixed on Heidegger, I used the bike as a weapon, sweeping the soldiers aside as I drove by. I was tempted to kill Heidegger for what he'd done, but then I reminded myself that he was Jessie's father. And I knew then that it was her place to bring him down, not mine.

I wasn't gonna leave him unmarked, though. So as I passed by him, I sliced him across the face with the tip of Buster's blade, then swerved around and lifted the Hardy's back wheel as I made the turn, sending it to within inches of him and the officers as they choked on the exhaust. Then I raced onward and knocked down the rest of the soldiers on the other side of the room one by one on my way up the other set of stairs before looking back the way I'd come.

" _Strife!"_ Heidegger yelled, clutching his bleeding face. "I'm going to carve your heart out with a spoon!"

I pointed at him with Buster. "Then it begins."

Right on cue, Tifa smashed through the glass Shinra sign with that light blue pickup truck Mayor Domino had secured for us, skidding to a halt next to Barret and the others. She rolled down the passenger side window and beckoned to them while I used my materia to throw a few lightning bolts at the soldiers, who'd begun picking themselves up. The ones who still could, that was.

"Get in, everyone!" Tifa called. "Hurry!"

Heidegger motioned to the soldiers, his face twisted in rage. "Stop them, you idiots! Don't let them escape!"

But the others were already moving. While Aerith sat up front with Tifa, Barret and Red jumped into the truck bed. Once they were all in, Tifa drove up the stairs behind me to the second floor, bullets flying as the soldiers opened fire. Then, sitting atop the Hardy, I noticed a small, familiar shape flitting quickly amongst the handlebars suspended from the ceiling. Our little friend, whoever he was. I couldn't see much from where I was as I led the others further up to the third floor, just a bit of a red cape and the tip of a furred black tail.

A moment later, a section of the handlebars tore free from its place in the ceiling, taking the lamps attached to it with it as Tifa and I spun our vehicles around to face the tall glass windows along the front of the building. The steel handlebars creaked in protest as they hung there for a moment, and then the other end of the broken section fell away from the ceiling as well. The whole thing collapsed onto the Shinra soldiers, knocking them down again and barely missing Heidegger. He punched the officer next to him in the face.

"Useless fools!" he snarled. "They're getting away!"

Giving him a jaunty, mocking little wave, I gunned the engine, and the Hardy shot across the lobby to smash through the glass windows. I landed on the road outside, Tifa and her truck right behind me, and we sped away from the Shinra Building as fast as we could. No doubt we'd be followed before long, but for the moment at least, we were safe. The expressway wasn't far, and after making our way through the streets of the city core, we found it and raced into the night.

* * *

I leaned back an' put my arms behind my head as Red an' I rode in the back of the truck. We was speedin' along the expressway, an' so far, there wasn't no sign of pursuit. Looked like we'd made ourselves a clean getaway. Sky was dark an' ominous, clouds an' mako smog swirlin' over our heads an' all but blockin' out the stars. Still, we'd made it. Wouldn't be long before we got to the road's end. Then all that was left was takin' that old cargo elevator back down to the slums.

"Home free, Red!" I grinned.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," he warned.

I snorted. "Man, you really need to lighten up. Hell, might even try smilin'. Even the merc does it now an' then."

Cloud was drivin' along jus' ahead of us, sword in hand as we sped down the road. Red glanced at him for a moment, then looked back at me again. An' then he did smile, or try to, anyway. It was kinda creepy to be honest, what with all'a them big teeth showin' in that furry grin. I didn't know whether to laugh or shudder.

"Uh, on second thought…" I grimaced, scratchin' my head, "maybe frownin' suits you better, Red."

He sniffed. "Can't make up your mind?"

I shrugged. "Nah, jus' sayin. No need to go an' pout."

"I wasn't," he insisted.

"Well, whatever," I said. Then I glanced at the open window behind me. "Hey, Tifa. How long 'till we hit the end?"

She kept drivin' as she answered. "About ten minutes or so. I called Marissa to let her know we're on the way. She and Elmyra will be ready for us as soon as we get back."

Aerith looked at her. "How's Jessie holding up?"

"Not good," Tifa sighed. "Heart rate and blood pressure way below normal. Her vitals are barely registering."

"Damn… we'll get to her in time, right?" I asked.

She floored the gas pedal. "Believe it."

Aerith nodded. "Don't worry, we'll make it. And so will she. Jessie's not gone yet, and I won't let her die."

"I hear ya," I said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Look!" Red called. "We have company, and a lot of it."

I did, gazin' back behind us again, my eyes widenin'. Shinra troops on motorcycles speedin' toward us in the distance, closin' fast. An' they wasn't alone. There was an armored truck with 'em, too, bristlin' with a buncha soldiers an' guns. Thought I saw a few mechs along for the ride as well, them moth slashers, rollin' along amidst the bikes. Flyin' above an' behind it all was a Shinra chopper, its headlights sweepin' across the expressway 'till they found us.

Red stood up an' growled. "They're coming."

I swore. "Shit! Now this we don't need. Tifa! Can't this thing go any faster? They're gainin' on us! C'mon, step on it!"

"I _am_ stepping on it!" Tifa yelled.

"I could get out an' run faster than this!" I muttered. "How the hell did we get saddled with this junker!?"

Cloud fell in beside us. "Save it for later! Incoming!"

The first of the motorcycle troops caught up to us a minute later as I whipped up my gun-arm an' took aim while Red flattened his ears an' braced himself, his materia glowin' brightly. Next to us, Cloud readied his sword an' revved the Hardy's engine while glarin' back at the troops ridin' on our tail, rifles in their hands.

"Give up!" one of 'em ordered. "There's nowhere to run!"

I snorted. "Like hell, assholes!"

With that, I opened up, firin' at the nearest soldier while Red threw a lightnin' bolt at another an' Cloud sliced at two more. First wave went down quick, but they had plentya backup. More bike troopers shootin' their rifles, but Tifa swerved the truck to keep us outta the line of fire. I returned the favor, blowin' another soldier off his bike while Cloud fell behind us to clear out the rest. More followed only seconds later, racin' up alongside us while others kept Cloud busy.

One of 'em pointed at us. "Pull over now! That's an order!"

"Sorry, no can do!" Aerith waved.

I punctuated that with a bursta gunfire past his shoulder. "Back off, ya Shinra mutt! Unless you wanna be roadkill!"

He scoffed. "Okay, you asked for it!"

Grippin' his handlebars, he rammed his bike into the truck, shakin' us an' throwin' off my aim. Another soldier came on in from the other side a second later an' slammed into us from there. My teeth rattled, an' I felt like a goddamn pinball caught in the bumpers. The girls shrieked in surprise, but Tifa didn't slow down.

Then the merc came back, cuttin' down the soldier on our right as Red an' I took down the one on the left, bullets an' magic throwin' him off his bike with a yell. We barely had time to catch our breath, though. Three moth slashers pulled up next, rollin' up the road and rammin' us again with their blades and jabbin' at us with the drills on their heads. I barely managed to avoid gettin' skewered.

I fired at the nearest one, feedin' bullets into its metal hide as I did what I could to stay in one piece. Meanwhile, Cloud an' Red blew apart another, each of 'em hurlin' more lightnin' at it. The two bolts struck at the same time, one from each side, an' the mech jus' exploded. Bits of it tumbled along the road behind us an' smashed into another soldier. He crashed an' burned, slammin' straight into the guard wall on our left, a bigass fireball bloomin' there when he did.

I took mine down next with another big shot, lettin' it loose jus' as the heat gauge on my gun-arm turned red again. The last one jabbed at me with its drill head, but I drove it back, shootin' it right in the face as Cloud drove up an' chopped it damn near in half in a single stroke, his sword cuttin' right through the metal as if it was butter. Sparks flew all over the damn place, an' I coughed on the smoke as the mech fell apart an' collapsed behind us. We outran it soon enough, but we wasn't outta trouble jus' yet. Not by a long shot.

"Cloud!" I called. "Watch out for the truck!"

He nodded. "I see it!"

That armored truck had caught up to us. There was a buncha them soldiers hangin' on the side, an' another was on top with a turret gun. I narrowed my eyes, knowin' I'd have to take him out first. The truck got up close, pullin' in alongside us an' nudgin' us toward the other wall on the right. There was a jolt as we bumped into it.

"Pull over right now!" the officer in the turret demanded. "We _will_ use lethal force to make you comply!"

"Suck it, punk!" I retorted.

He fired, shatterin' the glass window next to me an' jus' missin' the girls. They both gasped an' ducked their heads for a second as shards'a broken glass spilled over them from behind. Cloud an' I roared, strikin' at the soldiers on the truck an' sendin' a few of 'em flyin' down the road to crash into the concrete like rag dolls.

Another of the soldiers glared at the officer. "What the hell are you doing? You'll hit the Ancient!"

"Just shut up an' board that truck!" he ordered.

"Fine, but if she dies, it's your ass," the other soldier grimaced. "You know what'll happen if she gets killed?"

Cloud cut at their truck. "You'll be next!"

"I'm outta here!" the soldier gulped.

Then he jumped off the truck an' rolled away. Helluva smart move. Three others leaped across the gap toward us. Not so smart. I shot one of 'em outta the air, but the other two made it into the truck bed. While I filled the first one fulla holes, Red greeted the other with a slash of his claws. Both guys fell off a moment later.

Machine gun fire from the turret forced us to drop down low for a moment, an' I saw Cloud hackin' at the truck an' the remainin' soldiers. Had to be a way to take it down, but how? I fired at it, but my shots just bounced off the thing's thick metal chassis, sparks flyin' with each shot. An' more bikes were comin' at us from behind.

One of the soldiers still hangin' on looked up at the officer. "Go for the wheels! You can stop 'em that way!"

"Good idea!" I grinned.

"Wha—?" he sputtered, his eyes wide.

I shifted my aim. "Cloud, Red—the wheels! Take 'em out!"

The merc hefted his sword. "Copy!"

While he an' Red blew 'em out with more lightnin', I went after the officer in the turret, shootin' the thing apart before he could fire again. As soon as the tires came apart, the armored truck lurched an' fell onto its side, crashin' into the road. We pulled ahead of it jus' as it exploded behind us in a blazin' orange fireball.

I laughed as we entered a tunnel. "An' let that be a lesson to ya! Try catchin' us now, ya Shinra bastards!"

"Unfortunately… there's more," Red said.

"Stubborn assholes!" I swore.

He was right. Three more motorcycle troops was closin' in fast, an' I caught sighta that Shinra chopper flyin' up above the tunnel entrance. It'd be waitin' for us for sure by the time we got out, an' from what I saw lookin' ahead of us, that wasn't gonna be long. The exit wasn't far away. As we came to it a minute later, I glanced over at Cloud, who was next to us on my left as we sped down the road.

"We got incoming!" I said. "I'll take the chopper. You an' Red see to the bikes. They're all yours, guys!"

He nodded. "Heads up! Here they come!"

We raced outta the tunnel jus' a moment later, an' that chopper was right there to meet us. I greeted it with my gun-arm, blastin' at the hull as much as I could while the headlights swept over us. The chopper let loose with a few warnin' shots of its own, but I didn't let up. An' while I kept tryin' to bring it down, Cloud an' Red tangled with the bike troops with their skills an' magic. Even Aerith got into it, tossin' an occasional fire spell at 'em through the passenger window.

Finally got the chopper squarely in my sights, an' as soon as I did, I grinned an' let loose with a steady streama gunfire that tore into its tail, rippin' into the fuel line. The chopper spun outta control, its aft section on fire, an' crashed into the road a short way behind us, takin' out one'a them bike troopers as it did. Cloud an' Red was still fightin' the others, an' after pumpin' my fist, I took aim to help out.

"Fall back!" one of them told the other. "SOLDIER en route! Also a surprise for these terrorists! Go!"

But before they could, another biker suddenly came roarin' behind 'em on a shiny red motorcycle, his blond mullet flyin' out behind him. I jus' gaped as he quickly swerved around, laughin' like a loon the whole time, an' used his bike to knock the other troopers outta the way. They careened into the walls, blowin' right up, an' the crazyass biker jumped right through the flames from atop his motorcycle, a sword gripped in his right hand. And not too far behind him was a huge mech with two thick, clawed arms, six spiked wheels, a lower body built like a tank, an' a paira flame jets on its shoulders.

"Oh, c'mon now! You can't be serious!" I growled, motionin' to the truck. "You see the piece'a shit we're drivin'!?"

"Says the three hundred pound sack of it," Red quipped.

I frowned. "Hey!"

"Focus!" Tifa reminded me.

"Who's the crazy guy?" Aerith asked.

Cloud grimaced. "A SOLDIER. Leave him to me."

"Hoo, boy…" she whistled.

I hefted my gun-arm. "You watch yourself, merc. We'll take on the mech an' bring its ass down. Any idea what it is?"

Red glanced at it. "Motorball. The name's on its chest."

"Fittin', I guess," I grunted. "Let's torch it!"

As the mech closed in, I got myself ready, bringin' up my gun-arm while Cloud an' that SOLDIER raced ahead of us, swords clashin' again an' again. The guy didn't seem interested in us at all, jus' Cloud. I could hear him tauntin' the merc as they fought, but I blocked it out and kept my eyes behind us as Motorball closed in.


	22. TWENTY-ONE

## TWENTY-ONE

Motorball had two guns mounted upon its face, if you could call it that, and fired at us as soon as it caught up. Tifa swerved the truck just in time to avoid the shots as Barret and I began our own attacks. While he responded in kind, peppering the mech with bullets, I hurled a bolt of lighting at it, the magical blast tearing into Motorball and scorching its hull. Much like the Arsenal and the Valkyrie, it was quite vulnerable to electricity due to its mechanical nature.

In the meantime, Cloud continued fighting that maniac SOLDIER. Their blades clashed again and again as they drove ahead of us, and the SOLDIER's taunts filled the air along with blasting of Motorball's guns. Then the mech suddenly tilted back onto its left three wheels, the right side of its body rising up into the air, and slammed back down onto the road. The impact shook the entire truck and jolted us hard. Although I had an easier time holding steady with my four legs, I still had to focus to do it. Barret nearly fell off his feet.

"Shit!" he swore, grabbing the top of the cab to steady himself. "We do _not_ need that! Back off, trash heap!"

I growled. "Keep shooting!"

He took aim again. "The hell you think I'm doin', Red!?"

"Complaining," I told him.

"Hmph! Got any bright ideas?" he asked.

I nodded. "One. Cover me!"

While Barret blasted Motorball with more gunfire, driving it back, I leaped right onto it, clawing and tearing at its metal hide and hurling another lightning bolt into its body. Motorball swung at me, its clawed arm cutting through the air like a knife, but I quickly darted aside and circled around behind its broad torso to rip at its neck and waist joints. They were tough and reinforced, however, and so would not be easy to destroy. Nevertheless, I continued my assault even as Motorball pulled out ahead of the truck, taking me with it.

Cloud and the SOLDIER fought around it, separating briefly as the mech drove in between them. As it passed, Cloud slashed at the wheels while Barret's gunfire tore into it as he kept firing. And to my surprise, the SOLDIER also attacked Motorball, striking the wheels on the other side and laughing crazily the entire time.

As I ripped at Motorball's hull, it suddenly unleashed several small devices onto the road, explosives that went off a moment later directly in the truck's path and seared the road with electricity. I heard the girls shriek as they were tossed about by the impact, unable to turn away in time, but they appeared unharmed, and Tifa was able to keep the truck under control and continue past Motorball's trap. Then Barret called to me, his gun-arm raised and ready.

"Red! Get down!" he called, taking aim.

I did so, and he unleashed another of his fireball shots. It slammed into Motorball's chest, blowing off panels, and the mech staggered. But it was not finished yet. As the truck pulled up alongside it once again, I jumped off, hitting Motorball with my hind claws, and rejoined Barret in the back. Cloud and that SOLDIER had pulled ahead again, dueling ferociously while the mech resumed firing at us.

And then, Tifa abruptly slowed down, swerving aside as Motorball began spinning around like a top, streams of fire shooting out from the flame jets on its shoulders and scorching the road. She sped up again a moment later to get ahead of the danger, and soon the flames flickered and went out, at least for the time being.

But there was no telling when Motorball would use that dangerous attack again. I cast another lightning spell, blasting one of the wheels as Barret fired at another. My energy was beginning to run low, however, and I knew I only had enough left for a few more blasts of electricity. I would have to make each one count. Motorball caught up to us quickly, and I prepared to jump over again if the opportunity arose, knowing I could do more damage that way. But when I saw Cloud fighting against that SOLDIER, I had another idea.

* * *

The long-haired SOLDIER swung his blade at me, but I deflected it easily, Buster sweeping his weapon aside again as we drove up ahead of Motorball. Red and Barret were fighting it as best they could and doing plenty of damage, but the mech was as tough as it looked, spewing fire and slamming down onto the road to cause a miniature quake with the impact. I quickly returned my attention to my own battle as that insane SOLDIER on the red bike cut at me again.

"This a private party?" he grinned. "That's fine. I'll settle for a race, then. Just one. You and me!"

I frowned as I blocked his attack. "You talking to me?"

He laughed. "I most certainly am!"

"Then no!" I snapped.

"Ah, so sorry!" the SOLDIER sneered. "I'm afraid I didn't hear that. My last dance didn't satisfy, but I have a feeling that this one will! Your strength is clear, your speed undeniable! And your opponent is Roche, the legendary Speed Demon himself!"

I struck at him with Buster. "Not interested."

"Playing hard to get?" Roche chuckled. "I can go with that. Time to dance, my friend! A contest of blades and will! And we won't allow the machine to get in our way! Ha, ha!"

We kept fighting, blades clashing, neither us getting an opening at first. Despite his bravado and being a complete dumbass, he was pretty good with a sword, parrying my blows as much as I did his. The Hardy felt almost empty without Jessie behind me, where she belonged. At the thought of her, I renewed my assault, catching Roche across the arm to get first blood. It only excited him more, though.

"Yes, yes!" he cackled. "At last! This is the contest I've been waiting for! Let's push it past the redline!"

He sped on ahead of me, whipping arcs of pale green energy in my direction with his sword, but I managed to avoid them. Several of them hit Motorball, knocking it back for a moment, while others just missed the truck with Tifa and the others. Then Roche lifted his sword up and sent bolts of lightning charging down the road at us. They were harder to get away from than the energy gusts, but we managed, more or less. Although a couple of them got within inches of the truck, Tifa swerved aside just enough to evade them.

That was when Motorball started firing massive laser blasts across the road, bright orange beams capable of slicing us apart. I pulled hard on the handlebars, jerking the Hardy to the left just in time. The truck bounced a little but managed to escape the worst of it. As Roche pulled up again and we resumed our fight, I knew I had to end this fast. If my dream was right, we were running out of road and would reach the end soon. Roche and Motorball were a deadly combination, but they could be beaten. And then I knew how.

As our blades slammed into each other and our bikes roared down the road, I lured him back alongside Motorball, slowing down until he matched my speed just as I knew he would. I made sure that he was on the outside, on my right, while the mech was on my left. And then, just as I had on the way back from the Sector 4 underplate with Jessie a few days ago, I spun the Hardy completely around in a full circle, sweeping Buster in a tight arc that slashed both Roche's motorcycle and all three wheels along Motorball's right side.

"Well, well, well…" Roche said, smoke rising from the gouge in his bike. "It seems this round goes to you. Maybe next time we can keep it just between the two of us. What do you say?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

He grinned. "Until next time, my friend!"

Then he drove away, hurling a final blast of lightning at Motorball as he did and laughing like a lunatic. The mech sparked and shook but held together. Still, I could tell we were wearing it down. Just needed a a few more hits in the right place. Barret's gunfire ripped into its body, and the wheels that I'd struck looked as if they'd come apart completely with just a bit more pressure. When I sliced into them again, Motorball lurched off balance, its guns firing wildly.

"Time to meet your maker, asshole!" Barret yelled, shooting again. "Let's finish this rollin' scrapyard off! C'mon!"

Red called to me. "Cloud!"

I nodded. "Copy! Go for the head!"

"With pleasure," he agreed.

As I pulled up near the truck, Red jumped onto the Hardy behind me. Then we moved in on Motorball. He leapt onto it again, and while I slashed those wheels a third time and Barret fed bullets into the torso, Red tore into its head with his claws and ripped it right off. Then, as he jumped away and back onto the truck, I dragged Buster in a long, deep cut along the mech's underside, hit the boosters, and raced away just as Motorball collapsed and exploded behind us.

"Nice!" Barret grinned, shooting me a thumbs up.

"We did it!" Aerith cheered.

I glanced behind us. "Looks that way. Nobody else back there."

Barret sat down. "Well, it's about goddamn time…"

" _Now_ you can celebrate," Red told him.

"Hell, I know that," he snorted. "Smartass furball…"

We came to the abandoned toll booth a minute or so later. The end of the road was just on the other side, an exit ramp that had never been finished. I wondered if it ever would be. As we slowed down, I brought the Hardy to a stop near the edge and gazed out at the view ahead of us for a moment as the others did the same. We all got out and just stood there, our eyes on the horizon and the barren wastelands that rolled on for miles as far as we could see. It was the same view that I'd seen in my dream with Jessie. Only now I was awake.

Barret sighed. "So, after we save Jessie, what's next?"

"Sephiroth's alive," I murmured. "And he's out there now. Out there somewhere. I have to settle things."

"An' that'll save the planet?" he wondered.

I nodded. "Seems that way."

Barret pumped his fist. "Then I'm in! Bastard wants to destroy the whole planet, don't he? An enemy of hers is an enemy of Avalanche! So I'm gonna help you kick his sorry ass!"

"I'm going, too," Aerith said. "There's so much I need to know and to learn. So many things I want to find out…"

"About the Ancients?" I asked.

She gazed at the horizon. "Yeah. Among other things."

Tifa walked up alongside us. "Count me in. I guess this means we'll be leaving Midgar for a while, won't we?"

"A long while," I agreed.

"If it's to be a hunt," Red offered. "You could use a nose like mine. I will go with you on this journey as well."

I tore myself away from the view. "Thanks. We'd better get moving. Jessie's waiting for us. Lift's past the guardrail."

"How do we get past it?" Tifa asked.

"I got this," Barret said, hefting his gun-arm.

Standing in front of the guardrail while we waited nearby, he took aim and fired, blowing a large section of it apart and clearing us a path wide enough for the vehicles to fit through. Once that was done, I had Aerith join me on the Hardy while the others went back into the truck. That way we could go on ahead if we had to.

The cargo elevator was past the old construction equipment just as Jessie had said, and we drove inside one at a time through its wide gray doors. There was just enough space to fit both vehicles. As the elevator began to descend toward the slums, I glanced behind me at Aerith. Her green eyes were calm and determined, knowing what was on my mind before I'd even asked. Or rather, who.

She bowed her head for a moment, then looked up again. "Twenty minutes, more or less. It's gonna be close."

"We'll make it," I swore.

The rest of the ride down was quiet, all of us knowing what we had to do and what was at stake. There was no doubt, no hesitation. Aerith had been saved, and now it was Jessie's turn. As soon as the elevator hit the ground and the doors slid open, we sped outside. The wall, a thick barrier that enclosed the perimeter of the slums all around Midgar, was in front of us, and nearby stood a closed gate with a scanner next to it. Without getting off the Hardy, I used Marissa's keycard to open up the gate, and we quickly drove inside.

The road was narrow and winding, so we had to drive single file as we made our way into the slums. Aerith and I went first, and the others followed us in the truck. Before long, I saw the old church on our right and took some comfort in it, remembering the luck that had saved me when I had fallen from the plate and first met Aerith. Jessie had it now, and I knew it would do the same for her. I pressed on, driving as fast as I safely could down the dirt trails as the first hints of dawn touched the bits of sky behind us under the plate.

It took ten minutes to reach the outskirts, and then we were racing past the train station. A small crowd was there, probably hoping Shinra would get the trains running again, but we ignored them and sped into town. We had to slow down as soon as we got there, though, because of everyone milling about even at this early hour.

I was just looking for a side street to take to try and get past all the clusters of people going back and forth and clogging up the road when I suddenly noticed a kid on our right hurrying over to meet us. I hadn't seen him before, but I figured he must've been one of Oates' bunch. He was about ten or so, with military-style fatigues, boots, and shades. He came to a stop alongside the Hardy.

"Cloud, Aerith! You're back!" he said. "Oates told us to keep watch for you. Name's Trevor, by the way."

I nodded. "We've gotta get to her house, fast."

"Don't worry, guys! We got this!" Trevor saluted, then he switched on the walkie-talkie he was holding. "Home One, this Eagle Eye! Come in! Flora and Spike are back! Over!"

Oates' voice came on a second later. "Copy, Eagle Eye! Bring them in now! Wounded Butterfly's fading fast. Clear the road! Repeat! Clear the road! Tell the others! Over!"

"Copy, Home One!" Trevor answered. Then he flicked a switch on the walkie-talkie. "Eagle Eye to all units! Begin Operation Straight Shot immediately! Clear the road! Sarah, Moggie, Ben, you all know what to do! Just like we rehearsed! Go, go, go!"

As soon as the other kids acknowledge his orders, Trevor switched off the walkie-talkie and rushed ahead of us, shooing people out of the way and urging us to follow. I did, driving along behind him, and as we made our way through town, the other kids quickly showed up to help, clearing us a path in no time and running alongside us. I was surprised at how effective the little guys were.

Before long, the Leaf House was ahead of us, and as we sped past it onto the road leading to Aerith's house, Trevor and the other kids came to a stop behind us and waved. I nodded back to them as Aerith smiled and gave them a thumbs up. Then we drove on, following the dirt road up the hill until we finally made it to the house. Maddy and Oates had the front door open before we'd even finished parking.

"Guys, you're here!" Maddy exclaimed.

I killed the engine and got off, Aerith right behind me. "Thanks for the help. We'll take care of the rest."

Aerith led us inside. "Mom! I'm back!"

"So I heard," Elmyra quickly wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're alright, baby. I've been worried."

She held her tight. "I'm okay. Cloud saved me."

Elmyra let go of her and looked at me, Tifa, and the others. "Thank you, Cloud. All of you. I mean it."

"Happy to help," Tifa assured her. "She's our friend."

"Aerith!" Marlene flew into her arms. "I knew you'd come back! All the other kids said you would. Daddy and Tifa and Cloud all promised to save you. Are you gonna help Jessie now?"

Aerith hugged her back. "That's right, sweetie."

"She's upstairs, in the guest room," Elmyra told her as she stood up. "Marissa's with her. She hasn't left her side all day."

"Can you save her?" Wedge asked.

Aerith took his shoulder. "You bet. Cloud, come with me. The rest of you wait down here. This shouldn't take long."

"Good luck," Lena said.

She looked a little better, and I could tell the color had returned to her face, but she still wasn't on her feet. She sat at the table, her hand in Wedge's as he stood nearby, her short, dark hair hanging below her ears as she and Wedge gazed hopefully at Aerith. But before I went upstairs, there was something I had to tell her.

"We got your medicine," I said, patting my pocket.

Lena smiled. "Thanks so much, Cloud. But don't worry about that right now. Go save Jessie. I can wait."

While Barret scooped up Marlene in his arms and Tifa and Red sat down and greeted the others, Aerith and I hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Although I believed in her abilities and in what she could do, I couldn't help feeling a little nervous as we went into Jessie's room. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my skin tingled. Aerith gave me a reassuring nod as we went in.

"There you are!" Marissa sighed in relief. "Jessie's… slipping away. I was just about to call a couple of her old friends from the plate to tell them to hurry down here when I heard you were back. She could go at any moment. If you can help, it has to be now."

"We aren't saying goodbye to her today," Aerith swore. "Now go on downstairs. I'll take care of this."

Marissa made a few last adjustments to Jessie's IV, tapped a control on the unit nearby, and left. There were two chairs, one one either side of the bad—someone must've brought a second one in here while we'd been away—and Aerith and I quickly sat down. As I gazed at Jessie, my hand went out almost on its own to cover hers. Whatever happened, I'd be here with her. I'd see it through.

The beeping of her heart monitor was agonizingly slow, an eternity of silence between them, and each one felt as if it might be the last. As I sat there, I looked at Aerith. She had laid one hand on Jessie's shoulder and was resting the other over her heart. Then she bowed her head and closed her eyes as if in prayer. To the planet, maybe? It didn't matter to me as long as it helped Jessie. Her breath, already shallow, was coming in smaller and smaller gasps, farther and farther apart, and I knew she was at the edge. It wouldn't be long now.

"What are you gonna do, Aerith?" I wondered.

She answered without looking up. "Something I've only done once before. For her, funnily enough. When I found her after that hell house nearly killed her. This was how I brought her back, Cloud. A gift from the planet. You might call it… a pulse of life."

"You sure it'll work?" I asked.

"It will," Aerith promised. Then she whispered softly to Jessie. "It's okay. I'm here now. Try to remember…"

Whether she could or not, I didn't know. And it looked like I never would. Jessie took another soft, shallow breath, her chest rising slightly. After she let out it, her head rolled limply to one side and the sound of the heart monitor abruptly changed from a slow, steady beep to a long, unbroken tone that cut through my chest like a knife. I stared in horror at the screen as the few peaks on the display dropped into an unending flat line. My blood ran cold and I gently squeezed her hand, hoping she would breathe again. But she didn't.

"Jessie!" I leaned in close. "No! Don't you die on me!"

Aerith didn't budge. "Hush! There's still a chance, Cloud. Her spirit hasn't fully withdrawn yet. I only have a few seconds, but if I can catch her in time… ah, there you are! Gotcha!"

As I watched, my breath caught in my throat, light spread out from Aerith's hands, a pale bluish-white glow that swept over Jessie's body in a soft rush and dove into her. For a moment, she looked almost like an angel as the light shone through her and around her. Even at the brink of death, Jessie was beautiful. Aerith didn't let up but instead leaned in closer, her eyes shut tight in concentration.

Then my heart skipped a beat when Jessie suddenly gasped, taking in a fuller, deeper breath than I'd heard ever since we'd found her in the ruins of Sector 7. The heart monitor's single chilling tone switched to a strong, regular beep as the flat line on the display jumped back into the peaks and valleys that showed she was alive.

I watched in awe and wonder as Jessie's lesser injuries all closed up, healed by Aerith's power. The more serious wounds faded some as well, but not entirely. Even the light had its limits, it seemed. We could work with that, though. What mattered most was that Jessie had been saved. As I kept holding her hand and watching her, the light slowly began to fade away, and by the time that Aerith let go of her and sat back, it was gone. All that was left now was to wait.

It didn't take long, though I'd have waited there for days if I had to. Jessie stirred just a few moments later, and when she finally opened her eyes and saw me, her mouth twisting into that familiar coy grin I knew so well, I thought I'd never seen anything so wonderful in my life. And although her hand and arm were still weak and wrapped in a sling, she gently squeezed my fingers as best she could.

"Hey there, handsome," Jessie teased. "Miss me?"

I couldn't deny it. "Yeah. I… I did."

She chuckled. "Better have, SOLDIER boy. You still owe me a date, you know. And I intend to collect."

"You will," I promised, flashing her a faint smile.

Then Jessie saw I wasn't alone. "Aerith…?"

She smiled, tired but relieved. "I'm here, Jessie. And you're lucky to be here, too. I let you outta my sight for a little while and just look at all the trouble you get into. Such a handful!"

"Like always," Jessie laughed. "It's good to see you again."

Aerith nodded. "You too. How do you feel?"

Jessie smiled. "Alive. Everything else is negotiable."

"Well, I'd better let the others know you're alright," Aerith said. She stood up slowly and patted Jessie's arm. "You'll still need lots of rest for a while, so don't push yourself too hard."

"Everyone's here?" Jessie couldn't hide her excitement.

I adjusted her blankets for her. "Yeah. Barret, Tifa… everybody. All except Biggs. But only because he's still banged up himself. He'd be here too if he wasn't. You know that."

Aerith paused by door. "I'll have Maddy and Oates get word to him as soon as I can. Something tells me you're gonna be having quite a few visitors coming to see you before long."

"You got the kids to help, too?" Jessie gaped.

"Actually, it was his idea," Aerith giggled, pointing at me.

Jessie chuckled. "Wow! Really?"

"Uh, yeah…" I said. "Sort of. Wasn't expecting them to go as far as they did, but… they did get us here in time."

She laughed. "Now I _really_ know you care for me…"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"Fighting Shinra soldiers and swooping in to save me is one thing, but talking to kids must've really been outta your comfort zone, Cloud. I gotta say, I'm touched. Thanks!"

"Well, uh… sure," I said. "They did pretty good."

Aerith smirked. "I'll be sure to tell them you said that. They'll get a real kick out of it. See you soon, guys!"

She was just opening the door when she stumbled a little as a wave of fatigue suddenly swept over her. I started to stand up to help her, but she shook her head and brushed me off. She leaned against the wall for a moment to steady herself, then swung the door open.

"You okay?" I asked.

Aerith nodded. "I'll be alright. Just worn out. Doing what I did… it takes a lot outta me. I'll need to rest for a while."

I sat back down. "You sure?"

"I'm fine, Cloud," she insisted. "So don't worry about me. I'll make sure you two can have at least a few minutes alone before the others all come storming up here. Enjoy it while it lasts!"

"Oh, we will," Jessie winked.

Then Aerith left, heading into the hall and closing the door behind her. Jessie and I were alone, and for a moment, we just sat together, not saying a word. Although it had only been just over a day since the plate collapse, it felt a lot longer than that. So much had happened, and it felt as if we'd been apart for weeks, maybe months. I guess it was her brush with death and how I'd nearly lost her.

"So," Jessie scooted closer to me. "Gil for your thoughts?"

I gazed at her. "Just… glad we pulled it off. I was afraid we'd be too late. Didn't want the others to know, though. So I just kept us all going as fast as we could so I wouldn't have time to worry about it. But when I saw that flat line, I… I thought I'd lost you."

"Came pretty close, didn't I?" Jessie murmured.

"Too close," I said. "I'm glad Aerith brought you back."

She reached up with her good hand and touched my face. "Me too, merc. I knew you'd come through for me."

"I'm your hero," I told her.

"Damn right you are," Jessie grinned.

Then she gently pulled me toward her until our lips met. Her good arm slid around my shoulder as the kiss deepened, and I carefully held her against me, savoring the taste of Jessie's mouth and the smell of her hair as my blood turned to magma and current fried my brain. I hadn't realized just how much I'd missed her until now. And although I knew I'd have to leave eventually to go after Sephiroth, I decided I could wait a few days, maybe a week. No rush.

Jessie and I had some catching up to do.


	23. TWENTY-TWO

## TWENTY-TWO

As much as I wanted to just keep kissing Cloud and never stop, we had to come up for air before long. I was tired and weak and ached in a dozen places or more, but I was alive. I felt it in every breath I took and in the sight of those gorgeous baby blues that gazed softly back at me. I sank back into the pillows, moving as if I was made of glass, and Cloud adjusted them for me so I could sit up and be comfortable.

The beeping of the heart monitor I was hooked up to was the only sound in the room for a while, and as I lay there in bed, bandaged and with my right arm in a sling and wearing one of Aerith's nightdresses, I realized I was holding something. I didn't have the strength yet to turn my hand over and see, but I smiled as I felt the familiar curves of Sam's old gift. The baby chocobo feather in its glass case. I'd given it to Cloud outside Reactor 5 to keep him safe, and he'd given it back to me later in the pillar after he'd swooped in and saved me.

"Cloud, think you could…?" I asked, pointing at the baby chocobo feather with my good hand.

He nodded. "Sure, Jessie. Just a sec."

Cloud carefully reached under my right hand and slid the flattened glass cylinder out from under my fingers and put it in my left hand. I'd have gotten it myself, but moving around too much took a lot of effort in the sorry state I was in. I'd barely had enough strength to lift my arm to touch Cloud's face, nudge him toward me, and hold onto him while we kissed. My lips tingled for more, but for now, I just wanted to enjoy being with him again. And being alive.

As I looked at the baby chocobo feather, memories swirled around in my mind, thoughts of all I'd been through lately both out here in the real world and in that dark place between life and death that I'd been in since the pillar. A coma of some kind, by my guess. There was so much to process and unpack, so much to think about. Waking up and seeing Cloud there at my side, though, had to be one of the happiest moments I'd ever known. Especially now that I knew why he'd always seemed so familiar to me, why I'd felt like we'd met before.

Because a long time ago, we had.

It made my heart turn to mush just thinking about it. The day we'd truly met for the first time. Not when he'd saved me from the Vice gang that night two months ago. But five years before that, when I was still a shy, nerdy office girl at Shinra. The memory was so clear, and although I'd never really forgotten it, I hadn't understood the truth about it until I'd been trapped in that coma, reliving so many memories to figure out what had happened to me in the pillar.

I'd only been working at Shinra for about a year when Cloud and I first met—Marissa had still been Director of Systems Operation at the time—and although I was only seventeen back then, almost eighteen, I had also been Scarlet's assistant. She hated it when anyone was late and didn't hesitate to show it. I felt my cheeks sting a bit as I thought about how she'd slapped me that day. But the fear of getting that punishment was what ended up leading me to Cloud. Butterflies swirled around in my stomach as I thought of the memory.

I'd been downstairs on the third floor one day in the fall, admiring the Hardy HD-90 they had on display there, when I heard the elevators opening behind me. I'd been on break and had been about to head over there myself, but I waited first to see who'd come out. Nothing could've prepared me for what I saw, though. Two men had walked out. One of them was a typical Shinra trooper. But it was the second man who took my breath away and made me gasp in disbelief.

It was Sephiroth.

They'd been about to leave on a mission to someplace far away, and they were waiting on another trooper. I remember Sephiroth had been irritated about the delay. It had been then that I'd realized I'd only had a few minutes to rush back upstairs to avoid being late for my meeting. I did _not_ wanna get bitch slapped by Scarlet.

I had actually run toward the elevator, but it opened just as I got to it. The second trooper bolted right out, as panicked about being late as I was, and we had both realized the other was there at the same time. It was too late for us to move aside, though—our momentum was already carrying us forward—and we had run right into each other, the impact knocking us both off our feet and flat onto our backs. The binder with my design sketches had flown from my hands, scattering my papers all over the floor, and my glasses had nearly fallen off.

None other than Sephiroth himself helped me up, though he didn't say a word to me. After ordering the trooper who'd collided with me to help me pick up my things, he had left and gone downstairs along with the other soldier. What I'd never known until so recently was who that second trooper was. He'd worn the usual dark blue uniform and one of those metal helmets that hid pretty much his whole face except for his mouth, so all I'd had to go on was his voice.

We had talked a little as he had helped me pick up my papers, and I'd found out why he was late. He'd been dealing with motion sickness, knowing he had a long truck ride ahead of him, and so had been stuck in the bathroom for a few minutes. I'd felt bad for him and had offered to get him something from the store to help, but he had insisted he was fine. As smitten by that sweet, sexy voice of his as I was, I didn't argue. He'd been so adorably shy, too.

When his friend Zack had shown up a minute later to remind him they had to leave, I had awkwardly flirted with the trooper a little—my technique had still been pretty rusty back then, and I'd been nervous as hell—and told him where I worked, inviting him to come see me when he got back. He had stammered a little but had agreed, and I'd listened to his quiet conversation with Zack while they had walked downstairs, overhearing him admit that he thought I was cute. I'd had a solid crush on him and had daydreamed a lot about all the things we'd do together after he returned, but… he never did.

Until now.

Deep in my dreams, in my memories and in the darkness between life and death, I had finally, unexpectedly made the connection. It was Cloud! It always had been. His sexy voice had been there in front of me the whole time, but it had never clicked in my mind until that moment that _he_ was the shy, awkward trooper I'd met so long ago. He had come back to me! I'd found him again and had never even known it. I felt my heart melt as I gazed warmly at him, knowing for the first time who he was now, who he'd always been.

"My sweet soldier…" I murmured, smiling softly.

Cloud blinked. "Hmm?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing. Just… happy to see you. That you're here with me, you know? It's not every girl that gets to wake up to find the guy of her dreams watching over her."

"Guess that's me," he said.

"Bet your ass it is," I smirked. "Lucky me!"

Cloud pointed to the baby chocobo feather in its glass case. "Looks like you've had a lot of good luck lately."

I couldn't argue. "When it mattered most, yeah."

"Better hold onto it," he told me.

"Are you kidding?" I chuckled. "I'm not letting this thing outta my sight! We definitely know it works now."

Cloud nodded. "Sure does."

As I thought about that wonderful memory, I found myself with as many questions as answers. He'd been an ordinary trooper, but now he was a former SOLDIER. I supposed anything could've happened in the past five years, but it still didn't feel right to me. What had happened to him on that mission? I wasn't sure. But I did know he didn't remember our first real meeting in the Shinra Building. As I thought about that, I decided not to tell him yet. There was still so much going on that didn't make sense. And I wanted to talk to Tifa.

Then, as I glanced over at the dresser and saw what was there next to the small assortment of syringes, swabs, and other medical supplies, my eyes widened and I gasped in surprise and delight. It was my flower and the beautiful blue glass vase Cloud had gotten for me. But they had been in the bar the last time I'd seen them. Marlene had convinced me to bring them over so she could water the flower. Those cute little eyes of hers were damnably irresistible.

"Cloud…" I asked. "My flower… it's here. But how?"

"Marlene saved it," he explained.

I gazed fondly at the yellow blossom. "Such a good little girl. Guess I should've known it'd be her. She always did like it, almost as much as I do. I'll definitely have to thank her later."

"She'll probably be up here soon," Cloud said.

My eyes went back to him. "Cloud, before I see the others… there's something I need you to tell me. I remember a lot of what happened in the pillar now. The way you saved me, how you looked after me when I was hurt. Floating in the air together."

He rested his hand on my shoulder. "What else?"

"Shutting down the console after you guys fought Reno and Rude," I went on. "Yelling at my father. Trying to stop what he'd done. And I… I remember the trap. All that pain, everywhere. I felt like I was burning alive. Then, the blast, throwing me across the platform. My mind was a jumble and I was already swimming away, but… I remember how hard I hit the railing. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. Nothing seemed to work right. And then… I was in the dark."

"That's about what happened," Cloud confirmed.

I swallowed. "Sector 7's gone, isn't it?"

He sighed. "Yeah, Jessie. It is. Tifa, Barret, and I barely got out. We would've taken you with us, but…"

"But what?" I asked.

Cloud told me then about how the debris from the plate had come down and smashed through the section of the platform where I'd fallen and had taken me with it. He also told me about how he and the others had come back to the ruins as soon as they could to search for me. My heart ached at the loss of yet another home and so many lives, so many good people I'd never see again. But it also warmed as I thought of how determined my friends had been to save me no matter the odds or the dangers. I was alive because of them.

"Cloud," I said, coming to a decision. "As soon as I'm up and about, I need you to take me back to Sector 7, to the ruins. I need to see it for myself… what my father… what he did."

He nodded. "Sure. We'll go there before I leave."

"What do you mean, you're leaving?" I frowned. "To go where? I'm worried, Cloud. What's going on?"

"There's… a lot to explain," he told me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Cloud gently squeezed my hand. "Jessie. I'm not rushing out, okay? But like Aerith said, you need to take things slow. We'll explain it all to you soon enough. I won't leave you hanging. We can't stay too long, but we'll be here for at least a few days."

"Gonna hold you to that, SOLDIER boy," I smirked.

He kissed me. "I know."

I laughed as I returned the favor. "Not as hesitant as you used to be about showing me how you feel, huh?"

"Too much time with you," Cloud quipped.

"Oh sure, blame it on me," I teased, my lips meshing with his as he leaned closer to me. "I see how it is."

He gave me a faint smile. "If you insist."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. I had to stifle a giggle as Cloud abruptly pulled away, blushing a little before slipping quickly back into the tough, cool facade he so often wore. He was so cute when he was embarrassed. Just made him so much more adorable. Although he was in full merc mode now, I didn't miss the fact that he still had his hand resting lightly on my shoulder.

"Come in!" I called, winking at Cloud as I did.

Aerith opened the door with a grin and a wave. "Hey, Jessie. You've got visitors! First wave's here."

I blinked. "First wave? How many are there?"

"Well, let's see…" she answered. "We've got ten people in the house, not counting the three of us. And since this room's not that big, I'd say we're looking at… four or five groups."

"Wow! Guess I'm popular today, huh?" I chuckled.

Aerith smirked. "I'd say so. Have fun!"

Then she slipped back into the hall. And as soon as she did, Barret and Tifa came right in, Marlene skipping eagerly ahead of them to rush right over to me. My eyes lit right up as soon as I saw them, and theirs did, too. Tifa hurried over and took my good hand in both of hers for a moment as she stood next to the bed.

"Oh, Jessie, you're awake!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Tifa," I smiled. "Guess I made ya worry, huh?"

She gave me a playful punch on the arm. "You sure did! So do me a favor, will you? Next time we all tell you to back away from something, listen to us. Don't be a stubborn ass."

I laughed sheepishly, knowing she was right. "Okay. Guess I'm not in any position to argue about it, am I?"

"Nope!" Tifa agreed.

Marlene peeked at me, her little face sitting just above the blankets. "Are you really okay, Jessie? Are you?"

I nodded. "Sure am! I'll be on my feet in no time."

"Yay!" she cheered.

"I saw you kept my flower safe for me," I added. "Looks like you've been taking really good care of it, too."

Marlene giggled. "Uh-huh! I watered it and everything!"

I gazed fondly at her. "You did great. Thanks."

"Jessie, I…" Barret murmured. "The things I said to ya in the bar… what I called ya… I just… I was wrong…"

I let go of Tifa and took his hand. "Barret, don't…"

He sighed. "I'm sorry…"

"Hey…" I assured him. "It's okay. I wanted to tell you. I really did. I was just afraid. I knew how you felt about Shinra, but I never meant to keep it from you. It's just… the more time passed, the harder it got. I'm sorry I didn't come clean about it sooner."

"You ain't got nothin' to apologize for, girl," Barret told me. "Didn't do nothin' wrong. What happened is on me. I shouldn'ta made you feel scared to tell me. An' I was a dumbass for doubtin' ya and treatin' ya so damn bad. So I… I'm really sorry…"

I smiled. "It's alright, Barret. Water under the bridge."

He grinned, clasping my hand in his. "You Avalanche, Jessie. Don't let no one tell ya otherwise. Through an' through."

"Thanks," I beamed.

"Really missed ya, girl," Barret said.

Tifa nodded. "We all did."

"So, guys… what's with the matching armbands?" I asked, pointing at Tifa's elbow with a smirk. "Making a fashion statement, are we? Love your taste in color, by the way."

"You needed blood. We all gave it," Cloud explained.

Tifa touched the strip of red cloth tied around her elbow. "We kept them on afterward, while we were off rescuing Aerith from Shinra. To remind us of you. That we were fighting to save you as well as her. And we did. You're both back with us again."

I sniffled, my eyes getting wet. "Oh, wow… thanks, you guys. And, uh, I'm really not crying. I'm just, um… sweating through my eyes. Or maybe there's an onion in here somewhere…"

"That's gotta be it," she chuckled.

I was a little embarrassed to be so overcome—usually I was good at keeping my emotions in check behind a joke and a cheery smile—but I was just so happy and grateful for what my friends had done for me. It was a little overwhelming, to be honest.

We talked for a while longer, Barret lifting Marlene up and setting her next to me on the bed so she could see me better. My friends didn't say much about their mission to help Aerith, only that they'd infiltrated the Shinra Building itself to save her and had escaped. I was sure they'd give me the details later, there was just so much to tell and I still wasn't fully recovered. I wouldn't be for a while.

After the others left, Cloud reached into his shirt and took out the star pendant, just like in that strange, wonderful dream we'd shared. He held it for a moment, the mythril chain glittering in the light. And then he slowly pulled it off and started to give it to me.

"This belongs to you," he said.

I shook my head and gently pushed his hand away. "No, Cloud. It's yours now. I want you to have it. That way, you'll always have a part of me with you wherever you go. Keeping you outta trouble and bringing you back home to me in one piece. I'm just happy you found it and that it helped save you and the others."

He smirked as he put it on. "Thought you'd say that."

My next visitors were Lena and Wedge. They came in together, and he had his arm around her, supporting her as she walked. I figured her mako sensitivity must've flared up again, but she was pushing through it like a trooper. They both smiled right away when they saw me, relief all over their faces, and I returned the favor.

"Jessie!" Wedge grinned. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

I returned his hug with my good arm. "Same to you, Wedge. We've been through quite a wringer, huh?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, but you more than anyone else."

"True enough," I admitted.

"How are you feeling?" Lena asked as she sat down.

I clasped her hand. "Like a behemoth used me for a mattress. But I think I'll live. How about you?"

She laughed. "A little queasy, but it's really not too bad."

"Mako sensitivity acting up again?" I said.

"Yeah, it's kicking my ass today," Lena answered. Then she gazed at Wedge. "But believe me, Jessie, it was worth it."

I didn't doubt it. "What happened?"

"As soon as I heard about the pillar attack, I left home and ran over to Sector 7 to help you guys. Some idiot wouldn't let me in at first, but I climbed over the fence and his partner let me through—me and Wedge made sure he got out safely with the others."

"You guys evacuated everyone?" I wondered.

Wedge nodded. "As many as we could, including Biggs. Tifa helped him out of the tower after she and the others got there. I had a bad fall during the fight, but Aerith got me patched up. Lena arrived after Tifa and Cloud went into the pillar, and so did Kunsel. He went with Aerith to save Marlene while we evacuated everyone."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. "What did you say!? Kunsel was there!? Did he get out!? Is he alright!?"

I knew he was a SOLDIER and almost as tough as Cloud, but I still worried about him. And it made me so happy that he had come to save me. I didn't have any doubt that I was the reason he'd been there. I also knew it had to have been Reeve who'd sent him there in the first place. He'd known I was in the pillar—I had told him myself just before going in there. I had to get word to him that I was alright.

"He's fine," Wedge assured me. "Kunsel's back on the plate, Jessie. I owe him my life, you know. When everything was coming down at the end and I thought I was gonna die, he rode in and saved me. Pulled me clear of the debris that would've fallen on me."

Lena kissed him. "He sure did. I won't forget it."

Neither would I. Whatever the reason was that Kunsel hadn't been able to reach me, I knew it was important. And he had saved Wedge, a dear friend. That meant so much to me. I remembered how he'd risked his life to get me safely out of the trap my father and Scarlet had set for me years ago so I could escape to the slums, even though it had meant losing me and our future together.

"Do you know him?" Wedge asked.

I giggled. "Yeah. I almost married him, actually."

Lena gasped. "Awww, I didn't know that!"

Cloud blinked. "Oh… so he's the guy you told me about before, on the train after Reactor 1. I didn't realize it was him."

"Jealous, merc?" I teased.

"No," he shook his head. "Should I be?"

I beckoned to him, and when he leaned close, I touched my lips to his. "Nope. My heart's all yours, Cloud. What Kunsel and I had is in the past. He's just a friend now. Like Biggs and Wedge."

Cloud smirked. "Works for me."

As I listened, Lena and Wedge told me more about how they'd met Kunsel and how they'd fought together to save as many of the people of Sector 7 as they could. I was proud of them for kicking Rude's ass, and I understood now why Kunsel hadn't been able to get to me. He'd been saving so many people, including Wedge, Lena, Aerith, and Marlene. It was what I'd have wanted him to do.

"So you said Kunsel's on the plate now?" I asked.

"Yeah," Wedge answered. "Drove off after Lena and I went into the tunnel. We found out later that he was okay. When we all went back to search for you, we met—oh, here she is!"

I looked up as someone else walked in, and for a moment, I almost didn't recognize her. But then I gasped in delight, hardly able to believe she was really here and that it was her. She'd changed so much over the years, but there was no doubt about it. The long, fiery orange curls that I remembered were gone, replaced by the same short, straight look that I used to wear back then. Dark brown with just a touch of red. Brought back a lot of good memories to see her.

"Marissa!" I grinned. "Get your ass over here!"

She laughed and did as I said, and as soon as she was close enough, I wrapped my good arm around her in a tight hug. I couldn't hold onto her for as long as I'd hoped—it hurt to move too much and really tired me out—but I was so happy to see her. When I finally let go, she gently eased me back down onto the pillows.

"There you go," she said. "How's that, Jessie?"

I managed a thumbs up. "Perfect. It's great to see you, but… what'd you do to your hair?"

Marissa laughed. "You like it?"

"Oh, yeah," I chuckled. "Looks kinda like how I used to have mine way back when. Good choice!"

"There's a reason for that, actually," she said.

From there, Marissa went on to tell me about how she had acted as a decoy for me on the plate, often with Kunsel's help but sometimes on her own, to keep my father's eyes up there and away from the slums as much as possible. I knew Kunsel had been shielding me, but I'd had no idea that Marissa had been helping him.

I smiled. "Thanks for doing what you did for me, Marissa. It wasn't easy, I'm sure. Means a lot to me, though."

"Hey, we're friends," she said, patting my shoulder.

"So what are you doing here?" I wondered.

There was an IV running from the back of my left hand to a small machine next to the bed, and Marissa went over, replaced the medicine bag that was nearly empty with a full one, then tapped a few buttons to get it flowing before turning back to me.

"Taking care of you, Jessie," she quipped. "Remember how I always used to talk about getting into medicine someday? Well, I've been busy since you left. Finally got certified last year."

"Lucky for me!" I laughed. "That's great, though."

Marissa gazed at me. "Yeah. I'm really glad I did. It let me help you when you really needed it."

She told me how she had come down here to the slums to look for me after getting Kunsel patched up, how she'd met Cloud, Tifa, and the others in the process, and how they'd all gone back together to Sector 7 to find me with some unexpected help from Johnny, Sandra, and Jules as well. And then Cloud filled me in on how he'd brought me back here with him on the Gust right afterward.

It was a lot to take in, and I could tell I'd missed a lot while I'd been under. But I hadn't forgotten how I'd heard Cloud even then, telling me to hold on and keep fighting. And I had. I also resolved to head back to Wall Market as soon as I was able so I could thank Andrea and Jules. If Johnny was there, I'd see him, too. If not, I hoped I'd run into him once Cloud took me back to Sector 7. He'd been the one who'd spotted me in the ruins, and I wanted him to know I was okay.

Then I suddenly remembered something. "Hey, Cloud. When you got the feather out of my pocket for me, did you come across anything else? Like a small metal rod with two buttons?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Damn…" I sighed. "Would you mind checking again? You see, it's a transmitter. An old friend from Shinra gave it to me back when I first started working there. It's what I used to contact him before going into the pillar to warn him about what was going on."

Cloud nodded and got up, then went over to a corner of the room. The charred remains of my outfit and gear were there—I'd have to find a way to replace them soon—and started looking, checking the pockets of my torn, blackened, and bloodied pants.

"What's so special about it?" Wedge wondered.

"The transmitter was a way for me to keep in touch with my friend discreetly, without it being traced," I explained. "Since Shinra provides most of the phone service in Midgar, they can and do track a lot of the calls that go around, especially in the Shinra Building. Just another way they try to control us. That's also why I've always made sure that all our phones in Avalanche are encrypted."

Lena smiled. "You and him must've been pretty close for him to do something that for you. Was it Kunsel?"

"Nope," I said. "Reeve gave it me. Director of Urban Development. He was my boss back then and a friend of my mom's. She used to work there, too. Head of the PR department."

Cloud looked up at me. "So you _do_ know him. Thought you might. We had to go through that museum to get to the upper floors while we were there rescuing Aerith and saw a hologram of him. The mayor told us he spoke out against dropping the plate."

"Yeah, I do," I replied. "And I know the place you're talking about. I hate it. Makes me wanna puke just thinking about it. Reeve might be a director at Shinra, but he's a decent guy and cares about everyone. He's like family to me. You can trust him, Cloud."

He sat back down next to me again. "Okay. And I couldn't find the transmitter, sorry. It wasn't there."

"Shit…" I swore. "Thanks for trying, Cloud. Not your fault. I guess I lost it when I fell from the platform. I just wanted to let Reeve know I was alright. He's gotta be worried about me."

"I'll call him as soon as I can, Jessie," Marissa assured me. "Kunsel, too. They'll both be so relieved. In fact, I should probably go ahead and do that now. I'll be back to check on you later."

Then she left. After promising to come and see me again, Lena and Wedge followed, and Cloud and I had a few minutes to ourselves. I felt a little stiff from laying in bed so long, but I didn't have the strength yet to get up. I wasn't planning on staying here, though. That week after I'd been stabbed by the sahagins had felt like an eternity at times while I'd slowly recovered from my injuries, and I knew I was in for at least that long now, maybe longer. But I'd have a lot of help. I was determined to at least be out of bed by the time Cloud left.

"You know, Cloud, you can go downstairs and see everybody if you want to," I told him. "I don't mind."

He shrugged. "I'm fine."

I kissed him. "Just can't get enough of me, huh?"

"No," he answered, his lips on mine.

Maddy, Oates, and Elmyra were my next visitors, bringing me food as well as friendship. My stomach rumbled at the sight and smell of the tray, and while I used my good hand to eat, we talked for a while. Oates told me how Cloud had enlisted him and Maddy to help Elmyra while he and the others were away rescuing Aerith. They'd also brought me a nice, handmade get-well card. Everybody had signed it—all the kids at the Leaf House, Biggs, Wedge, Lena, Barret, Marlene, Tifa, Aerith, and Elmyra. There was even a large pawprint in ink on one side. I smiled at the kids as Elmyra set it in the dresser for me.

"Thanks, guys," I said. "All of you."

"We're just glad you're back!" Maddy gushed, adjusting her glasses. "You'll come and play Whack-A-Box with us once you're all better and back on your feet, won't you, Jessie?"

I laughed. "I think I can do that. How about you, Cloud?"

"Huh?" he blinked.

"Up for a game with the kids sometime?" I asked. "I bet you'd love it. Knocking as many boxes over as you can before time runs out. With that big sword of yours, you'd probably break the record. Which was of course set by yours truly. Lots of fun!"

Cloud scratched his head. "Oh, uh, sure… I guess."

"Awesome!" Oates said.

"It's good to see you again, Jessie," Elmyra smiled. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need. I know you just lost your home. So let this be yours again for a while."

I nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

She took a healing potion from her pocket. "You're quite welcome. I know you don't care for these things—and I don't blame you—but it'll help speed your recovery and take the edge off the pain. One every few hours, at least for now. Understand?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Let's get it over with."

After opening the vial for me, Elmyra gave me the potion. I drank it fast, not quite able to resist making a face as I did. And while he tried to hide it behind his hand, I didn't miss the little smirk Cloud gave me. I fixed him with one of my own.

"Go ahead, laugh it up, SOLDIER boy," I teased. "I'm sure she's got some for you, too. She always keeps a few handy."

"I do, you know," Elmyra added.

Cloud shook his head. "What? N-No, I'm fine, thanks."

I giggled. "Good call, merc."

As the potion took effect, I felt the pain subside a little. I still ached all over, but not quite as bad as before. The worst spots were my left leg where that piece of shrapnel had knifed into me and all along my right arm and shoulder where I'd been shot. My other leg and my chest hurt pretty bad, too. Bruised ribs, scraped shins, and a twisted ankle among other things, not to mention my skin was still tender from all the burns I'd suffered. I didn't know how I hadn't broken anything.

Although Aerith had saved me, she hadn't been able to heal all my injuries. Even her power had its limits. I didn't blame her, of course. I'd been here before, after that hell house had nearly done me in two years ago, so I knew what to expect. I'd have to work hard to recover and get back on my feet again, but I didn't mind. I was just glad to be alive after everything I'd been through lately.

"Better?" Elmyra asked.

I nodded. "A bit. Still hurts some, though."

She didn't look surprised as she looked me over. "Of course. That's to be expected. Your injuries were extreme, Jessie. And even with spells and potions, they'll take time to heal. You should be able to make a full recovery, though. You're very fortunate."

"Believe me, I know," I said, gazing at Cloud.

He gave me the faintest ghost of a smile, breaking out of his tough merc shell for just a moment before slipping it on again. Mine was a lot bigger in return. The kids noticed our little exchange and giggled, then said their goodbyes as Elmyra escorted them out, taking the tray along with her and closing the door again.

It opened a little while later as Aerith brought my last visitor of the morning inside to see me. I'd been wondering where that big pawprint on my card had come from, and I now I understood. Padding along by Aerith's side was something like a large panther with bright orange fur, a dark red mane decorated with a feathered headdress, and a long, thin tail that actually burned at the tip.

"Hi, Jessie," Aerith said. "I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine. This is Red. We escaped Shinra together. Red, this is Jessie. We go way back, she and I. Known each other for years."

I grinned. "Nice to meetcha, Red!"

"Likewise," he replied. "I'm glad Aerith was able to save you. And I hope that your recovery is a swift one."

"Thanks," I said.

He looked curiously at me. "You don't appear to be as surprised as the others that I can speak. I believe I startled your friends downstairs. Wedge was particularly in awe of me."

I shook my head. "I've been around and seen a lot. And you're not the first talking cat I've ever met."

"You've seen another like me?" his one eye widened.

"No, he was a lot smaller," I explained. "Black fur instead of orange. Artificial, too. But so lifelike you could never tell the difference. Aren't there any others of your race, Red?"

He shook his head. "No. I am the last."

"I'm sorry…" I sighed.

"No apology necessary," Red assured me. "As far as I'm aware, there are no longer any others of my kind. There were never very many of us to begin with, to be honest. I knew one once, before the Turks captured me, but I do not know what became of her."

I smiled. "I'm sure you'll find her. Don't give up."

"Thank you, Jessie," he said. "I appreciate your kind words."

We talked for a little longer, just getting to know each other, then I felt fatigue start to pull at me. It was only early afternoon, but I knew I was still in pretty rough shape and could use a rest. Aerith spotted it, of course, and helped me get a bit more comfortable in bed before she led Red back downstairs. Cloud stayed with me, and it looked like he'd had the same idea, setting up a blanket and pillow in the chair. I realized he must've been up for over a day straight. Tifa and Barret too, for sure. It looked like we'd all be taking a breather.

After he had gotten himself all settled in, Cloud leaned close to me for a moment. "Need anything?"

I kissed him. "Just you."

"I'll be here," he promised, returning it.


End file.
